Boston Red Sox (33-26) @ New York Yankees (33-24)
Jon Lester (7-2, 3.94) @ Freddy Garcia (4-4, 3.34)
7:05 PM EDT | Yankee Stadium (Bronx, N.Y.)
TV: NESN, YES, MLB Network RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Rich Hill, left elbow sprain (Placed on the 15-day DL on June 3, retroactive to June 2) Franklin Morales, left forearm strain (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 29, retroactive to May 26); Darnell McDonald, sore left quad (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 26); Daisuke Matsuzaka, sprained elbow (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 17, transferred to the 60-day DL on June 3); Junichi Tazawa, right elbow surgery (placed on the 60-day DL on March 26)
New York: Rafael Soriano, right elbow inflammation (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 17, retroactive to May 14); Eric Chavez, fractured fifth metatarsal in left foot (Placed on 15-day DL on May 6); Phil Hughes, right shoulder inflammation (Placed on 15-day DL on April 15, transferred to 60-day DL on May 25); Colin Curtis, dislocated right shoulder (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Reegie Corona, fractured right elbow (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Damaso Marte, left shoulder labrum inflammation (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Pedro Feliciano, left rotator cuff strain (Placed on 15-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22, transferred to 60-day DL on April 15)
GAME NOTES
The battle that has Alec Baldwin punching John Krasinski and Krasinski painting a dog in Red Sox colors continues with the opener of a three-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium. Freddy Garcia takes the mound in slimming pinstripes tonight. Garcia has yet to allow a run in the first inning and has a 0.50 ERA in the first two innings so patience might be a virtue against Garcia (the patience reverse jinx worked for me against Brett Anderson, so I’m rolling with it). Garcia was tagged with the loss against the Red Sox on May 15th, pitching 5.1 innings and surrendering five runs (four earned) on six hits (two home runs), four Ks and two walks. Carl Crawford is 6-20 with a homer against Garcia, David Ortiz is 10-33 with two homers against him, and Marco Scutaro (returning from the disabled list tonight) is 6-12 against Garcia. Also of note, Dustin Pedroia is red-hot against the Yankees this year, hitting .542 (13-24 with a homer and five RBI. Taking the mound in the Bronx for the Red Sox is Jon Lester. Lester is hoping to rebound from a bad start last time out against the White Sox, when he allowed a season-high seven runs on eight hits. The only Yankees to have any success of note against Lester is Derek Jeter (12-38) and Andruw Jones (4-12 with one home run). Alex Rodriguez has hit three dingers off Lester but owns a paltry .207 batting average against him. To make room for Marco Scutaro on the 25-man roster, Scott Atchison was optioned to Pawtucket.
Lineups
Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- J.D. Drew, RF
- Marco Scutaro, SS
New York
- Derek Jeter, DH
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Russell Martin, C
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Andruw Jones, LF
- Eduardo Nunez, SS
Fun Facts
– David Ortiz was named American League Player of the Week (for the week ending June 5). During that stretch Ortiz hit .545 (12-22) with four doubles, 2 home runs, six RBI and five runs scored.
– According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Freddy Garcia has the most career innings pitched (1986.1) of any active pitcher who has never allowed a grand slam.
– Again, according to Elias, in the last 50 years only Manny Ramirez (40 games) and Carl Everett (49 games) have reached 50 RBI faster in their Red Sox careers than has Adrian Gonzalez (who reached 50 RBI in his 59th game).
– On June 7, 1907, manager/third baseman Jimmy Collins was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics for third baseman John “Schoolboy” Knight.
– And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: Historians, diving teams and psychics have been searching for Babe Ruth’s missing piano. In 1918 at his Sudbury farm, Ruth reportedly threw the piano into a pond during a party. The real truth: having run out of party snacks, the Babe ate the piano. From that moment on, he passed gas in the key of B flat.