Boston Red Sox (64-40) @ Chicago White Sox (52-52)
Jon Lester (10-4, 3.23) @ Philip Humber (8-6, 3.27)
7:10PM EDT | U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago, IL)
TV: NESN, MLBN RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
With the loss last night, the Red Sox are now 1-10 against the White Sox in the last two seasons and 0-4 this year. The only win came on September 27, 2010 in a 6-1 game. As a team this season, the Red Sox are hitting only .269/.300/.442 against the White Sox. Conversely, White Sox batters are hitting .342/.415/.482 against the Red Sox pitching staff. White Sox batters have hit .276/.415/.482 against Jon Lester in six games in his career. Tonight’s starter for the White Sox, Philip Humber has also struggled against the Red ox over his career allowing a .300/.323/.467 batting line. Hopefully, the Red Sox can start to turn their fortunes against the White Sox around tonight.
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Clay Buchholz, lower back strain (placed on 15-day DL June 19, retroactive to June 17); J.D. Drew, left shoulder impingement (placed on 15-day DL July 26); Adrian Gonzalez, stiff neck (day-to-day); Bobby Jenks, strained back (placed on 15-day DL July 16); Jed Lowrie, right shoulder injury (placed on 15-day DL June 17, scheduled to start rehab assignment August 1)
Chicago: Ramon Castro, fractured right hand (placed on 15-day DL 7/10); Tony Pena, right elbow tendinitis (placed on 15-day DL, May 29, appears lost for the season)
PLAYER OF THE DAY
Tonight’s starter, Jon Lester has 71 wins in his career, RHP Ray Culp also had 71 wins as a Red Sox. Culp played for the Red Sox from 1968-1973. He began his career with the Phillies in 1963 and moved onto the Cubs before coming to the Red Sox in a trade. Culp was an All-Star for the Red Sox in 1968, a season in which he went 17-8 with a 3.81 ERA. Overall in his career, he went 122-101 with a 3.58 ERA. Culp seemed to revive his career in Boston after the Cubs and Phillies gave up on him. It was mostly because of the development of palmball. On May 11, 1970 against the California Angels, he struck out the first six batters he faced, tying the AL record.
Line-ups should be posted in the comments when they are available, feel free to add them if they aren’t there.