Boston Red Sox (55-36) @ Tampa Bay Rays (50-41)
John Lackey (6-8, 6.84) @ James Shields (8-7, 2.33)
4:10PM EDT | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, FL)
TV: FOX RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
James Shields had a disappointing year in 2010. After being named “Big Game James” by his teammates in years prior, he went 13-15 with a 5.18 ERA. On August 7th he tied a modern day record giving up 6 home runs in a game to the Blue Jays. He led the league in HRs allowed as well as tied for the league lead in ERs and hits allowed. Well, James Shields is back with a vengeance in 2011, he has already pitched 7 complete games, the Red Sox as a staff have one, and even Roy Halladay has only 6. One of those complete games was against the Red Sox June 14th at Fenway, a five-hit shut-out.
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Josh Beckett, hyperextended knee (day-to-day, scheduled to start 7/17); Clay Buchholz, lower back strain (Placed on the 15-day DL on June 19, retroactive to June 17); Carl Crawford, strained left hamstring (Placed on the 15-day DL June 18, currently on rehab in AAA-Pawtucket); Jon Lester, strained left latissimus (placed on the 15-day DL July 6); Jed Lowrie, right shoulder injury (Placed on the 15-day DL on June 17)
Tampa Bay: Wade Davis, strained right forearm (Placed on the 15-day DL July 7); John Jaso, strained right oblique (Placed on the 15-day DL July 10)
PLAYER OF THE DAY
James Shields currently leads MLB with 7 CGs. LHP Bill Butland had 7 CGs in his major league career, the entirety of which was spent with the Red Sox. Butland pitched for the Red Sox in 1940, ’42 and ’46-’47. He missed the ’43-’45 seasons due to service in the Army during World War II. 6 of Butland’s 7 CGs came in 1942 when he appeared in 23 Gs, 10 starts. He went 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA, he best season. In 4 total seasons he went 9-3 with a 3.88 ERA.
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