Jon Lester

The Red Sox will wrap up a three-game set with the Twins Wednesday night at Target Field before heading west to Seattle for a chance to pad their division lead. Jon Lester will take the mound for the Red Sox after a tough-luck loss against the Yankees last Saturday, while the Twins counter with Nick Blackburn, who hasn’t had a quality start since July 20.

Lester (11-5, 3.23 ERA), pitched his second straight quality start in his last outing against the Yankees, but his six innings of three-run, five-hit ball weren’t enough as the Red Sox only put two runs across in a 3-2 loss. Still, Lester has been solid since his return from the disabled list, posting a 2.82 ERA over his last three starts. The two home runs he gave up to the White Sox on July 30 could be a cause for concern, but the two solo shots were the only runs Lester allowed in a convincing eight-inning performance that included eight strikeouts and just one walk.

Lester hasn’t faced the Twins since last May, when he went the distance for a complete game victory, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out nine and walking none. However, Lester struggled the last time he pitched at Target Field, lasting five innings after giving up four runs on nine hits in a 5-2 loss in April of 2010.

Very few Twins have had consistent success against Lester in their 90 combined plate appearances, with Denard Span leading the way. In 13 matchups, Span is hitting .333 with two RBIs and has drawn three walks. Delmon Young has a team-high 27 plate appearances vs. Lester but a team-low .174 batting average, including seven strikeouts. Jason Kubel has struggled as well, going just 2-for-11 with a walk and an RBI.

Blackburn (7-9, 4.58 ERA) has seen his record drop below .500 after taking three losses in his last three starts, including a 20-6 loss to the Rangers on July 25. Blackburn lasted just 2 2/3 innings in that outing, allowing nine runs (six earned) on 11 hits and two home runs. It was the low point of an abysmal July in which the right-hander went 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA.

Blackburn was staked to an early two-run lead in his last start, but he gave up four runs on seven hits, including two home runs, as the Twins fell to the White Sox, 5-3. Blackburn walked six hitters in that game, and has walked 11 in his last 9 2/3 innings. Despite his recent struggles, the Twins starter pitched well in a losing effort against the Red Sox back on May 9 at Fenway Park. Boston managed just one run on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings, eventually winning in the 11th on a Carl Crawford walk-off double.

Blackburn has allowed 19 home runs this season, the sixth most in the American League, but he’s never given up a long ball to a Red Sox hitter in 90 career matchups. In his team-high 15 plate appearances vs. Blackburn, Dustin Pedroia is hitting .308 with a double and an RBI, while Kevin Youkilis is at .333 with a triple and an RBI in 13 matchups. Carl Crawford has struggled the most against Blackburn, going just 1-11 with three walks and three strikeouts.

Red Sox vs. Blackburn

Jacoby Ellsbury (15): .286 BA/.333 OBP/.286 SLG, 1 HBP

Dustin Pedroia (15): .308/.400/.385, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Carl Crawford (14): .091/.286/.091, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

Kevin Youkilis (13): .333/.385/.500, 1 triple, 1 RBI, 1 walk

David Ortiz (10): 3-for-8, 1 double, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

Mike Avilez (8): 3-for-8, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 RBI

Jason Varitek (6): 3-for-6, 1 double, 2 strikeouts

Adrian Gonzalez (3): 2-for-3, 1 RBI

Jed Lowrie (3): 1-for-3, 1 strikeout

Marco Scutaro (3): 0-for-3

Twins vs. Lester

Delmon Young (27): .174 BA/.222 OBP/.174 SLG, 2 RBIs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts

Joe Mauer (17): .250/.294/.313, 1 double, 3 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Michael Cuddyer (13): .308/.308/.462, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 1 strikeout

Denard Span (13): .444/.615/.444, 2 RBIs, 3 strikeouts

Jason Kubel (12): .182/.250/.182, 1 RBI, 1 walk

Matt Tolbert (5): 2-for-5, 1 double, 1 strikeout

Jim Thome (3): 2-for-3, 1 strikeout