600♦ BOSTON RED SOX RUN LINE (LIST Lester and Guthrie) - The five-game skid is over and the Red Sox should be in high gear to start a winning streak now. Off last night’s 3-1 win over the Orioles – its seventh win in eight meetings this season – Boston treks Jon Lester to the hill, and that’s an automatic for me when these two get together. The southpaw Lester is a perfect 8-0 in his career against the Orioles, and has already shut them down twice this year.
In 10 career starts against the O’s, Lester also sports a stifling 2.18 ERA, while he’s allowed a total of four runs while winning the last five in a row. In this year’s meetings, Lester has struck out 17 in 14 scoreless innings, while scattering nine hits. And get this: he’s sporting twice as many career wins against the Orioles as he has versus any other opponent.
He comes in with plenty of momentum too; the left-hander is 5-2 with a 1.75 ERA in his last nine starts overall. His success comes directly from a fearless approach of challenging hitters with four quality pitches. He has a heater that reaches the mid-90s, two crisp breaking balls and a baffling change-up that freezes batters on command. And what I love most about a guy like Lester, he’ll call upon any one of those pitches – not to mention the occasional slider and back-door curve – anytime in the count.
A pitcher with confidence is someone I always want on my side, and Lester is that type of guy. Like a Maddux, like a Clemens, and I guess these days, like a Buehrle!
Boston has won 14 of 16 against the Orioles since July 12, 2008 and also holds a 28-6 edge at Fenway Park against them; after last night, Baltimore has lost 10 straight in Beantown.
Delving into the numbers a bit deeper, the Orioles are mired in extensive losing streaks of 16-44 on the road, 16-51 in this series, 16-46 against intra-division foes, 15-43 as a road pup, 1-4 in Jeremy Guthrie’s last five against the East and 2-6 when the toes the slab on five days rest.
With Boston, the winning runs include a 10-0 spurt when Lester is a home chalk of two bucks or more, 25-5 when he’s installed as a home favorite, 14-4 against losing teams and 23-9 in the team’s last 32 division clashes.
And news flash to all, Boston’s lineup should be getting that boost today from Adam LaRoche, who is scheduled to make his debut with the team after being acquired this past week from the Pirates. Remember when Jason Bay debuted last season? Same situation, as everything points to the Red Sox in a blowout win tonight.
Chris Jordan 600*
Reply With Quote