Tune in at 7:15 PM ET as the Red Sox take on the Cubs. Michael Dugan will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Welcome to Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox at the Chicago Cubs
Lefty Jon Lester gets the start for the BoSox. Lester is 3-4 with a 4.57 ERA. Lester hasn't gotten into a sustained groove yet this season. The lefty pitched well in his last start, giving up three runs and striking out nine over seven innings. This is his first career start at Wrigley Field.
Jeff Samardzija get the start for Chicago. He is 5-4 with a 3.96 ERA. Samardzija couldn't get a feel for his split-finger pitch in his last outing against the Twins, who feasted on his fastball. The right-hander served up a season-high eight runs over 3 2/3 innings. He called it a "learning experience."
Boston is 31-33 on the season, Chicago is 22-42
The Red Sox are trying to stay with the pack in the AL East race, the Cubs are in a position just to play out the string
• The Red Sox lead the Major Leagues with 233 extra-base hits this season, including 157 doubles.
• Cubs infielder Jeff Baker is 4-for-4 against Lester in his career.
• Boston is 1-3 all time at Wrigley Field.
The batting order for the Red Sox tonight, Podsednik, Pedroia, Ortiz, Saltalamacchia, Middlebrooks, Gonzalez, Sweeney, Aviles, Lester
The batting order for the Cubs tonight, Johnson, Barney, Castro, Soriano, Baker, Mather, Castillo, Valbuena, Samardzija
Podsednik steps into the box, we are under way
Samardjiza has a plus fastball
Samardjiza FB fouled off by Podsednik, 2-2 the count
FB in on the hands, pop foul and caught by 3B Valbuena...1 out
Pedroia .271, 5 and 25 on the season at the plate
Pedroia slaps one foul, 1-2 the count
full count on the Fb away
Pedrois just misses getting one inside the foul line just over first, foul ball
BoSox top 2 hitters made Samardjiza work, 14 pitches
Ortiz at the plate, .306, 15 and 41
Slider low and away, 2-1 the count to Ortiz
Ortiz draws the BB, didnt really see any quality pitches to swing at. Saltalamacchia to the plate
Salty .247, 11 and 30 so far this season
Samardjiza working hard this inning behind 2-0
Saltlamacchia puts the ball low into the ivy. Ortiz rounding for the plate is thrown out by the cut off
Ortiz runs like he has marbles in his shoes, thrown out relatively easy. He slowed down half way between 2nd and 3rd then had to the "jets" on. That ends the inning for the Sox, after half an inning it is 0-0
Reed Johnson leads off the bottom of the 1st for the Cubs
Johnson with a little inside out swing dumps the ball into Rf for a SGL
Lester has an average fastball, 90-92 mph
Barney at the plate grounds the ball to 3rd, Middlebrooks looks at 2nd but fires to 1st for the sure out, 1 away, runner at 2nd
Castro at the plate, .292 5 and 34
Castro hits one on a line, Pedroia a great diving catch gets up and jogs to 2nd for the unassisted double play. Gold star defensive play
At the end of 1, no score
@Edgar I feel you pain. I have been watching my fave team since 1976, nothing to show for 36 years
@Edgar some of the Sox players seem like they want to be traded (Beckett) and/or get a new manager
Middlebrooks up for Boston in the second, .290 6 and 22
Middlebrooks grounds out 5-3
Gonzalez up, .263 5 and 35
Gonzalez has the count at 2-2, 1 out, no one on
Gonzalez with a high fly ball chases the CF back to the track, out number 2
Sweeney to the plate for the BoSox
Sweeney yet to go yard this year for the sox batting .299 with 13 RBI
