Game 66: Boston Red Sox (40-25) At Tampa Bay Rays (34-29)

Game 2 of 6 on Road Trip (1-0)
Game 8 of 19 Vs Rays (6-1)
Game 31 of 81 on the road (19-11)

After both teams emptying their bullpen and then some last night, the Rays and Sox will both hope for their starting pitchers to go deep into the game to give the pen a night off tonight. Luckily for the Red Sox, they have their ace on the mound, while the Rays have probably their weakest starting pitcher.

Jon Lester comes in with a 6-2 record and a 3.60 ERA. he will face Roberto Hernandez who is 3-6 with a 5.03 ERA. Advantage sox right? Well Lesters numbers are a bit deceiving, he hasnt been nearly as good lately. In April, Lester went 4-0 with a 3.11 ERA. In May, Lester was 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA. That number includes a complete game shutout, take that game out and Lesters ERA was 4.43 in May. Lester has made one start in June and allowed three runs in six innings against the Rangers. Lester is 0-1 with a 5.12 ERA in his last three starts, compared to Hernandez who is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA over his past three starts.

Here are tonights lineups

Boston Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury:.280
2. Shane Victorino: .283
3. Dustin Pedroia: .331
4. David Ortiz: .314
5. Mike Napoli: .263
6. Daniel Nava: .300
7. Stephen Drew: .232
8. David Ross: .207
9. Jose Iglesias: .446

Tampa Bay Rays
1. Desmond Jennings: .247
2. Sean Rodriguez: .246
3. Ben Zobrist: .274
4. Evan Longoria: .305
5. Yunel Escobar: .254
6. James Loney: .327
7. Ryan Roberts: .238
8. Jose Molina: .239
9. Matt Joyce: .251

So David Ross gets the start at catcher to give Salty a night off after catching fourteen innings yesterday, no surprise there. Iglesias back at third for tonight after Middlebrooks went 1-7 yesterday in his first game back from injury. Mike Napoli is back in the five spot after his night off last night. Lots of changes for the Rays also. Jennings back to the leadoff spot, Kelly Johnson not in the lineup, Matt Joyce moves from leadoff to ninth, Escobar moves from ninth to fifth, and Ryan Roberts gets the start as well.

AL East Standings
1. Boston Red Sox: 40-25
2. New York Yankees: 37-26    2.0 GB
3. Baltimore Orioles: 36-28       3.5 GB
4. Tampa Bay Rays: 34-29       5.0 GB
5. Toronto Blue Jays: 27-36     12.0 GB