This has been a rough interleague road for the Red Sox. First the Pirates take us to the woodshed, then we get shut out twice in a row by the Phillies. If there’s anyone I trust on this team to get us out of this set of bad games, with 4 out of the last 5 being losses, it’s Clay Buccholz. He’s injured though, so Terry Francona decided to mix up the lineup a little bit instead. Adrian Gonzalez is back at home on first base, with Ortiz absent again. He made it through the right field experiment unscathed, which is all anyone was hoping for. Varitek, Sutton, and Reddick all pick up starts today, getting the chance to prove that maybe they deserve a job in the starting lineup (though Drew Sutton probably shouldn’t hold his breath). Reddick’s triple slash in particular – .438/.688/1.161 – is amazing, but is sadly the result of minimal plate appearances instead of through the roof hitting. Still, numbers like that make you feel good about him knocking a few tonight.
Pitching Matchup: Jon Lester (9-4, 3.66 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (9-4, 2.49 ERA)
Man, it is just amazing how the Phillies have put together one of the most feared pitching rotations on the planet. 4 out of 5 games leave you so nervous that the fifth game is a nice place to just relax, and then they shut you out anyway. Lester is a very good pitcher though, with an 8.71 K/9 and a 1.29 WHIP. Lester is also stranding 80% of runners on base, which is a great way to limit runs even if you are giving up hits now and then. Look for him to rely on his fastball and curveball tonight, his other pitches have been a little iffy on giving up runs.
Unfortunately for Sox fans, Cole Hamels is Cole Hamels. Hamels and Lester have similar K/9 rates (Hamels is at 8.68) but that’s where the similarities end. Hamels is walkign two less than Lester per game and has a BAA (batting average against) of .208, a whole .040 points lower than Lester’s. Hamels’ 4 pitches (fastball, cutter, curveball, changeup) are saving a whole 7 runs per game above avergae, which is fantastic and really what separates the really good pitchers from the great pitchers.
The Sox will have their hands full, last night was their real night to get it done, so they’ll be in damage control mode. If they can strike at the Phillies early and keep Hamels working, they’ll have a chance at this one.
Also, of note, today is Drew Sutton’s 28th birthday! Happy Birthday, Drew! Go Sox!
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