Boston @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2010 ) Boston 2, Tampa Bay 0
The Boston Red Sox will try to become the first team this season to sweep a series from the Tampa Bay Rays when the two teams cap a three-game series tonight at Tropicana Field.
On the heels of yet another outstanding starting pitching performance, Boston sends John Lackey to the mound looking to gain more ground in the American League East standings. The Red Sox trail the Rays by 6 1/2 games.
Boston has allowed just one run in the first two games of the series. Clay Buchholz beat Tampa Bay 6-1 on Monday and Jon Lester combined with a trio of relievers to limit the Rays to just one hit in Boston’s 2-0 win on Tuesday.
Lackey is the only Boston starter to lose in the last seven games. He was roughed up by the Philadelphia Phillies in his last outing. After winning three straight decisions, Lackey has lost his last two outings.
The surging Red Sox are 15-7 since May 3 and are a season-best five games over .500.
Mike Cameron returned to the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday. He was 0-for-3 but made a good running catch in center field. Jacoby Ellsbury sat out Tuesday’s game with stiffness in his side but is expected to play today.
When Ellsbury and Cameron are in the lineup, manager Terry Francona said he planned on playing Ellsbury in center field and moving Cameron to left to limit the running that Cameron has to do.
Jason Varitek is expected to start again at catcher as Victor Martinez, who left Monday’s game, is still nursing a toe injury. Martinez was available on an emergency basis Tuesday.
David Ortiz continues his hot hitting for the Red Sox. Ortiz drove in both Boston runs with a two-run double Tuesday. He has 21 RBIs in 18 games this month.
Matt Garza starts for the Rays. Garza is 6-2 lifetime against the Red Sox, including a 7-1 victory earlier in the season when he threw eight shutout innings and scattered four hits.
Carl Crawford is expected to be in the lineup but the Rays outfielder may be headed for a league suspension. Crawford was ejected from Tuesday’s game after getting into a heated argument with home plate umpire Bob Davidson.
In the dispute, Crawford and Davidson shouted at each nose-to-nose and Crawford appeared to make contact with the umpire with the bill of his helmet. He was immediately ejected, and Rays manager Joe Maddon was also tossed in the aftermath.