Youkilis Back In Boston As Red Sox Open 3-Game Set With Rays
BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Red Sox open a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida this weekend, a series that has much more meaning than the last time the two teams met.
The Rays are the closest team to the Red Sox in the wild card standings, sitting just 6.5 games back with seven meetings left between the two.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller has confirmed third baseman Kevin Youkilis is back in Boston and out of the lineup for Friday night's series opener. Youkilis flew back to Boston to get an MRI on his hip, which has bothered him off-and-on during the season.
"We were going to give him the day off today, most likely. He's was really limping the last couple of days, especially last night. His hip started bothering him a little bit so we got him back to Boston," said manager Terry Francona. "Just try to figure out what, where why, just so he doesn't have to limp through the last couple weeks, because we need him."
In Youk's place, Dustin Pedroia will bat cleanup. Pedroia is three-for-eight in his career against Tampa's Friday night starter, Wade Davis.
John Lackey will get the series started for Boston. Over his last seven games against Tampa, the right-hander is just 3-4 with a 6.69 ERA.
Boston is coming off a series in Toronto where they lost three-of-four. Pedroia went just one-for-20 at the plate in the series, and has just three hits in his last 30 at-bats.
Roche Blog: Late Struggles Nothing New For Sox
Boston needs to snap out of their current funk soon. They have lost six of eight, and missed out on two key chances to cut into the Yankees 2.5 game lead in the AL East the last two days.
If the Rays take two of three this weekend, which is entirely possible given the pitching matchups, things could really start to get tight with only 15 games to go when they return to Boston on Tuesday.
Pitching Matchups For Weekend Set Against Rays
Friday 7:10pm
- John Lackey (12-11, 6.11 ERA) vs. Wade Davis (9-8, 4.50 ERA)
Saturday 7:10pm
- Kyle Weiland (0-1, 6.75) vs. Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 2.90)
Sunday 1:40pm
- Jon Lester (15-6, 2.93) vs. James Shields (14-10, 2.77)
