Boston Red Sox (18-7 .720 0 GB) at Toronto Blue Jays (9-17 .346 9.5 GB)
TUE 7:07 PM EDT (SNET):
Jon Lester (4-0, 2.27 ERA, 3.31 xFIP) vs. Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.27 ERA, 4.96 xFIP)
WED 7:07 PM EDT (SNET):
Clay Buchholz (5-0, 1.19 ERA, 2.94 xFIP) vs. Mark Buehrle (1-1, 6.35 ERA, 4.35 xFIP)
THU 7:07 PM EDT (SNET):
Ryan Dempster (1-2, 3.30 ERA, 2.76 xFIP) vs. Josh Johnson (0-1, 6.86 ERA, 4.26 xFIP)
TEAM PROFILE
Boston enters the series with an ML best 18-7 record and riding a five-game winning streak. A 19th win on Tuesday would establish a franchise record for the month of April. Key to the team’s early success has been the performance of its pitching, a group that has posted a 3.39 team ERA, good for third best in the AL. The three starters scheduled to pitch in the series sport a sparkling collective 2.17 ERA, meaning the Blue Jays hitters will have their work cut out for them. Persona non grata John Farrell returns to Toronto for the second time this season, this time with DH David Ortiz available for duty. The team has a strong bullpen but is without Craig Breslow and closer Joel Hanrahan, who could be activated from the disabled list during the series.
INJURY REPORTS
Boston Red Sox:
- Shane Victorino RF – Apr 29: Day-To-Day
- Craig Breslow RP – Apr 28: 15-Day DL
- Joel Hanrahan RP – Apr 28: 15-Day DL
- Franklin Morales RP – Apr 28: 15-Day DL
- John Lackey SP – Apr 26: 15-Day DL
Toronto Blue Jays
- Jose Reyes SS – Apr 23: 60-Day DL
- R.A. Dickey SP – Apr 22: Day-To-Day
- Sergio Santos RP – Apr 14: 15-Day DL
- Josh Johnson SP – Apr 27: Day-To-Day
- The Sox boast a .329 AVG with runners in scoring position
- The team has allowed only 4 unearned runs so far this season
- David Ortiz’s return from the DL has been off-the-charts – he’s hitting .516 / .529 / .871 (1.400 OPS)
- Clay Buchholz is 8-4 lifetime vs. the Jays with a 2.60 ERA in 15 games
Toronto Blue Jays:
- Conversely, the Blue Jays have struggled to a .195 AVG with runners in scoring position
- The Jays defence has surrendered 15 unearned runs
- Edwin Encarnacion homered in four straight games last week, totalling five HRs in the span
- The Jays are 9.5 games out of first place, the largest deficit in the majors
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
The Blue Jays enter the series riding a season-worst four game losing streak…They have yet to win more than two straight…Boston took two of three games during the two teams’ first matchup earlier this month in Toronto, including a 13-0 blowout win started by Jon Lester…Toronto reliever Sergio Santos has resumed throwing but there is still no timetable for his return to action…
BATTER VS. PITCHER MATCHUPS
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jacoby Ellsbury L | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .444 | .474 | 1.111 | 1.585 |
| Dustin Pedroia R | 20 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | .500 | .542 | 1.000 | 1.542 |
| Ryan Lavarnway R | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 |
| David Ortiz L | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | .429 | .556 | .929 | 1.484 |
| Daniel Nava S | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 |
| Jonny Gomes R | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Mike Carp L | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Mike Napoli R | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | .143 | .200 | .143 | .343 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia S | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .091 | .167 | .091 | .258 |
| Jose Iglesias R | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Stephen Drew L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Pedro Ciriaco R | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Blue Jays vs. Jon Lester
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Mark DeRosa R | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 | .333 | .750 | 1.083 |
| Maicer Izturis S | 18 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | .368 | .500 | .868 |
| Jose Bautista R | 45 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .222 | .288 | .533 | .822 |
| Rajai Davis R | 24 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | .208 | .269 | .542 | .811 |
| Melky Cabrera S | 27 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | .333 | .357 | .370 | .728 |
| Brett Lawrie R | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .143 | .250 | .429 | .679 |
| J.P. Arencibia R | 29 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 0 | .207 | .258 | .414 | .672 |
| Henry Blanco R | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Edwin Encarnacion R | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .167 | .286 | .375 | .661 |
| Colby Rasmus L | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 | .222 | .222 | .444 |
| Emilio Bonifacio S | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .200 | .200 | .200 | .400 |
| Jose Reyes S | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| Adam Lind L | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | .111 | .143 | .148 | .291 |
Red Sox vs. Mark Buehrle
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jonny Gomes R | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .462 | .500 | .692 | 1.192 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury L | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .400 | .400 | .700 | 1.100 |
| Shane Victorino S | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .364 | .333 | .727 | 1.061 |
| David Ortiz L | 61 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .361 | .400 | .639 | 1.039 |
| Dustin Pedroia R | 21 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .364 | .476 | .840 |
| David Ross R | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .400 | .400 | .400 | .800 |
| Will Middlebrooks R | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .400 | .400 | .400 | .800 |
| Ryan Kalish L | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Mike Napoli R | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .182 | .231 | .182 | .413 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia S | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Blue Jays vs. Clay Buchholz
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Maicer Izturis S | 21 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .429 | .520 | .571 | 1.091 |
| Jose Reyes S | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 |
| Adam Lind L | 35 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | .314 | .324 | .543 | .867 |
| Anthony Gose L | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .429 | .429 | .429 | .857 |
| Jose Bautista R | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .269 | .310 | .385 | .695 |
| Moises Sierra R | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Melky Cabrera S | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .143 | .333 | .143 | .476 |
| Colby Rasmus L | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 | .286 | .167 | .452 |
| Rajai Davis R | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | .143 | .294 | .143 | .437 |
| Edwin Encarnacion R | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | .067 | .263 | .067 | .330 |
| Brett Lawrie R | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .100 | .182 | .100 | .282 |
| J.P. Arencibia R | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Red Sox vs. Josh Johnson
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Pedro Ciriaco R | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.500 | 2.500 |
| Mike Napoli R | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .250 | .250 | 1.000 | 1.250 |
| Dustin Pedroia R | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .400 | .571 | .600 | 1.171 |
| Jose Iglesias R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1.000 | .000 | 1.000 |
| David Ross R | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .500 | .333 | .833 |
| David Ortiz L | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .667 | .833 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .500 | .333 | .833 |
| Shane Victorino S | 41 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | .341 | .372 | .390 | .762 |
| Jackie Bradley Jr. L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Stephen Drew L | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .273 | .273 | .273 | .545 |
| Daniel Nava S | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Jonny Gomes R | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia S | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Will Middlebrooks R | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Blue Jays vs. Ryan Dempster
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jose Reyes S | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .333 | .385 | .500 | .885 |
| Melky Cabrera S | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .444 | .778 |
| Jose Bautista R | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .200 | .333 | .300 | .633 |
| Josh Thole L | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .200 | .400 | .600 |
| Emilio Bonifacio S | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | .188 | .278 | .188 | .465 |
| Edwin Encarnacion R | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .091 | .286 | .091 | .377 |
| Colby Rasmus L | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .091 | .167 | .182 | .348 |
| Maicer Izturis S | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Mark DeRosa R | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Rajai Davis R | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Henry Blanco R | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
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