Boston Red Sox (85-59) @ Tampa Bay Rays (79-64)
Kyle Weiland (0-1, 6.75) @ Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 2.90)
7:10 PM EDT | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, FL)
TV: NESN RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
The Red Sox seemed to give up on last night’s game after staking the Rays to a 5-0 lead, eventually losing 7-2. But the beauty of baseball is that there is always a tomorrow. Today the Sox send rookie Kyle Weiland to the mound. Weiland is making his first start since his recall from Pawtucket. Weiland ranked second among qualifying starters at AAA with a .232 opponent average. Let’s hope that transfers to the majors.
On the bump for the Rays is rookie Jeremy Hellickson. However, Hellickson is not pitching like a rookie: only three Major League starters rank ahead of him in ERA (2.90) and opponents average (.213): Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett and Cole Hamels. Hellickson is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA against the Red Sox.
Lineups
Boston Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Josh Reddick, RF
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jed Lowrie, 3B
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Tampa Bay Rays
- Desmond Jennings, LF
- B.J. Upton, CF
- Evan Longoria, 3B
- Ben Zobrist, 2B
- Johnny Damon, DH
- Matt Joyce, RF
- Casey Kotchman, 1B
- John Jaso, C
- Sean Rodriguez, SS
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, currently rehabbing); Kevin Youkilis (sore left hip, hernia) day-to-day
Tampa Bay: Alex Cobb, thoracic outlet syndrome (placed on the 15-day DL August 7)
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Fun Facts
-According to the Elias Sports Bureau, John Lackey’s 6.30 ERA is the highest ERA any Red Sox pitcher has posted through 25 starts. And according to Stats LLC, Lackey’s ERA is the highest since 1900 for any pitcher who has 12 or more wins in a season. You don’t have to be a member of SABR to know those numbers aren’t good.
– On September 10, 1918, Game 5 of the World Series between the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs was delayed for an hour due to a player’s strike. The players were frustrated as to their share of the gate receipts. The players backed down when told they would not get any additional money.
-And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: Despite persistent protests from the Westboro Baptist Church, Rays’ starter Jeremy Hellickson has refused to change his last name to Heavenickson.