Boston Red Sox (36-26) @ Toronto Blue Jays (32-31)
John Lackey (3-5, 7.60) @ Brandon Morrow (2-3, 4.50)
1:07 PM EDT | Rogers Centre (Toronto, ON)
TV: NESN RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Bobby Jenks, left back tightness (Placed on the 15-day on DL June 8); 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)
Toronto: John McDonald, right hamstring strain (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 20, retroactive to May 27); Jesse Litsch, right shoulder impingement (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 20, retroactive to May 19); Jesse Carlson, left rotator cuff (Placed on the 60-day DL on March 29); Dustin McGowan, torn right rotator cuff (Placed on the 60-day DL on March 12)
GAME NOTES
Seven in a row for the Sox, and the team is still not firing on all cylinders. What a team this will be if they ever do achieve that. Brandon Morrow pitches for the Blue Jays today. Morrow went six innings in his last start against Kansas City but got a no decision. He surrendered only two hits and three walks against five strikeouts. Morrow has yet to face the Red Sox this year but is 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in 11 appearances (three starts) against the Red Sox. David Ortiz (4-7 with a double, a homer, 3 RBI and two walks), Dustin Pedroia (4-8 with two doubles, a homer and three RBI), and Adrian Gonzalez (3-4 with one RBI) have had success against Morrow.
John Lackey takes the mound today for the second time after returning from the disabled list. Lackey pitched fairly well on June 5th against Oakland; he pitched 5-2/3 innings and allowed three runs on three hits (one home run), and had two walks, three HBP and two strikeouts. Lackey took the loss on May 11th in Toronto (his last start before being placed on the disabled list, allowing nine runs on nine hits and five walks. Adam Lind (10-18 with five RBI), Yunel Escobar (5-9 with one RBI) and Rajai Davis (8-21 with one RBI) have had some success against Lackey.
Lineups
Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Jed Lowrie, 3B
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- J.D. Drew, RF
- Jason Varitek, C
Toronto
- Yunel Escobar, SS
- Corey Patterson, LF
- Jose Bautista, RF
- Adam Lind, 1B
- Edwin Encarnacion, DH
- Jose Molina, C
- Rajai Davis, CF
- Jayson Nix, 3B
- Mike McCoy, 2B
Fun Facts
– The Red Sox have won 9 of its last 10 road games, and 12 of its last 14 since May 13th.
– David Ortiz is a day person: he leads all qualifying AL hitters in daytime OBP (.486), is second in daytime batting average (.397) and daytime slugging (.683).
– On June 11, 1937, the Red Sox traded brothers Rick and Wes Ferrell, along with Mel Almada, to the Senators for Ben Chapman and Bobo Newsom.
– And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: On Kids in the Hall, Kathy (played by Bruce McCullough) was in love with Kelly Gruber of the Blue Jays. They are now happily married and own a fishing equipment business in Mississauga, Ontario.