clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Game 113: Beckett On The Mound As Sox Aim To Clinch Season Series

By Ben Buchanan

I would call this one a mismatch as well, but perhaps I've learned my lesson?

The Red Sox are after a win tonight. Not just in the game, or in the series, but in the season series. It's only August 7, but if 9-2 becomes 10-2, then even a (terrible) 0-6 finish against New York wouldn't let the Yankees take it from the Sox.

Of course, given the way these sorts of things are decided, it would also give the Red Sox effectively a 1.5 game lead in the division, should the Wild Card come from the East (which at the moment seems fairly likely). Of course, if they go 0-6 against New York from here-on-out, then that .5 game bonus isn't likely to matter for much, but it's something to keep in mind.

The Sox will have Beckett on the mound tonight, which of course also means Varitek behind the plate:

  1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
  2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
  3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
  4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
  5. David Ortiz, DH
  6. Carl Crawford, LF
  7. Josh Reddick, RF
  8. Jason Varitek, C
  9. Marco Scutaro, SS

Beckett has held his own against the Yankees this year, allowing two earned runs in about 21 innings. So if nothing else, he's got momentum on his side.

Josh Beckett

#19 / Pitcher / Boston Red Sox

6-5

225

R

R

May 15, 1980

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2011 - Josh Beckett 9-4 21 21 1 1 0 0 139.0 91 35 34 11 37 122 2.20 .92


And then there's Freddy Garcia, whose junkballing ways have not impressed the Sox at all so far this year.

Freddy Garcia

#36 / Pitcher / New York Yankees

6-4

250

R

R

Oct 06, 1976

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2011 - Freddy Garcia 10-7 20 19 0 0 0 0 117.1 118 46 42 9 34 80 3.22 1.30


I would be more confident in all this, but after Lackey - Sabathia turned out the way it did...Who can say?


Go Sox!

More From Over the Monster