Red Sox at Phillies
Interleague
play in a National League ballpark can create some interesting lineups
and one might be on display when the Boston Red Sox visit the red-hot
Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. Without the designated hitter, David
Ortiz did not start against Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels on Friday
but is expected to play first base Saturday with right-hander Joe
Blanton on the mound. Manager Bobby Valentine said gold glove first
baseman Adrian Gonzalez would probably shift to right field and it would
be wise to keep him in the lineup. Gonzalez is 7-for-16 with two homers
and four RBIs lifetime against Blanton.
The Phillies have won six straight games while the Red Sox have lost two of three after winning five in a row.
It
could shape up to be a pitchers’ duel as the Red Sox’ Jon Lester is
coming off his best start of the season while Blanton has three wins and
a no-decision in his last four outings. Red-hot Phillies catcher Carlos
Ruiz, who had a two-run single in Philadelphia’s 6-4 victory on Friday
and is 11 for his last 17, is 0-for-7 against Lester. Ruiz has 19 RBIs
in 16 May games and has five multi-hit games in his last eight.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Jon Lester (2-3, 3.71 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Joe Blanton (4-3, 2.96)
Lester
pitched a complete game in the Red Sox’ 6-1 victory over Seattle in his
last outing on Monday. In three career starts against Philadelphia,
Lester is 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21 innings. The
Phillies’ roster is batting .209 against him, with former American
Leaguer Ty Wigginton having the most experience and success at 8-for-20
with a homer, two RBIs and four walks.
Blanton allowed one run,
six hits and struck out seven in seven innings in a 5-1 victory over
Houston on Monday in his last outing. Blanton is 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA in
10 career starts against Boston, including 1-1 and a no-decision in
three outings with Philadelphia. The Red Sox’ roster is batting .307
against him, with Ortiz 8-for-26 with two homers and three RBIs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston’s Daniel Nava hit a grand slam on the
first pitch he saw in the major leagues – against Blanton – in the Red
Sox’ 10-2 victory June 12, 2010.
2. The Red Sox’ Cody Ross, who
has homered in two straight games, was 7-for-20 with three homers and
five RBIs to help the Giants defeat the Phillies in the 2010 NL
Championship Series in six games.
3. Phillies manager Charlie
Manuel returns to the dugout after a one-game suspension for his
involvement in an altercation with umpire Bob Davidson in Tuesday’s game
against Houston.