Red Sox Head North For 3 Against Blue Jays
BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Bruins are not the only local team in Canada.
The Boston Red Sox, fresh off their three-game sweep of the Yankees in New York, head north of the border for three against the Blue Jays this weekend.
Boston, winners of six straight, find themselves two games up on the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Red Sox are 3-3 this season against Toronto, taking three of four at Fenway but dropping their only two at the Rogers Centre.
No one is hotter than David Ortiz right, riding a nine-game hitting streak where he is batting .471 with four home runs and 12 RBI. He had two RBI in each of the three games against the Yankees. Ortiz has enjoyed a lot of success over his career against the Blue Jays, hitting 39 home runs with 24 coming in Toronto.
Adrian Gonzalez has had success against the Blue Jays in his first season with Boston, batting .346 with three home runs in six games.
The Red Sox got some good news before last night's 8-3 win over the Yanks, as Dustin Pedroia is expected back in the lineup. The all-star second baseman had his right knee checked out in Boston on Thursday, and there was some concern Pedroia may need surgery. It turned out to be bone bruise on his kneecap.
Friday night's pitching matchup should prove interesting. Clay Buchholz is a career 6-3 against the Blue Jays and is 6-1 in his last eight starts. On the flip side, Jo-Jo Reyes has won two straight after not recording a win in 28 consecutive starts. He allowed four runs in three innings against the Sox back in April.
Jon Lester will go for his major league leading ninth win in the series finale on Sunday.
Weekend Pitching Matchups In Toronto
Friday 7:07 p.m.
- Clay Buchholz (4-3, 3.82 ERA) vs Jo-Joe Reyes (2-4, 4.16 ERA)
Saturday 1:07 p.m.
- John Lackey (3-5, 7.60 ERA) vs Brandon Murrow (2-3, 4.50 ERA)
Sunday 1:07 p.m.
- Jon Lester (8-2, 3.98 ERA) vs Kyle Drabek (4-4, 4.98 ERA)
