Here’s a fun fact for you: the Pirates haven’t finished above .500 since they released Tim Wakefield. Though they look to be making a run for it this season, the Red Sox don’t plan to help them any more than they already have. Adrian Gonzalez is entering today’s game with a 5-game hitting streak, and David Ortiz looks primed to ride the bench again, at least until a pitcher less prone to giving up fly balls all the time is in. Gonzalez’s triple slash looks pretty good coming in to today – .360/.413/1.020 – and look for Francona to try and get Josh Reddick involved in some fashion, as he’s been equally off the charts, though with many less plate appearances than Gonzo.
Pitching Matchup: Tim Wakefield (4-2, 4.26 ERA) vs. Jeff Karstens (4-4, 2.54 ERA)
It’s been 18 years since Wakefield last pitched in Pittsburgh, and one hopes that Wakefield wins again tonight. Karstens has pitched brilliantly recently though, with a 1.46 ERA over his last six starts. Karstens’ curveball is his best pitch, followed by his changeup. He also relies on these two pitches the least, which could explain why they’re responsible for saving the most runs. He’s given up one home run and walked 3 in the past month, stats that would lead to massive wins for anyone other than the Pirates. One hopes that the Red Sox can overcome his superb pitching and drive in some runs, with a little help from the Pirates’ as always anemic defense. Wakefield is a strong pitcher, with a BABIP of .213 so far. That will go up as the season progresses, but don’t expect it to jump all the way tonight. 51% of Wakefield’s pitches go for fly balls, which is something we love with the Red Sox strong outfield defense. The other great thing about Wake is that he’s not only a knuckleballer, but throws almost exclusively knucklers. 90% of his pitches are knuckleballs, leaving him with a 4.41 K/9 that should go up tonight.
First pitch at 7:05 ET, 4:05 PT
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