Jon Lester

The Red Sox continue their West Coast swing by sending Jon Lester to the mound in Oakland on Tuesday night.

Lester’s season has been mediocre at best, as he has a 5-5 record with a 4.53 ERA. The southpaw has been able to give Boston solid innings, averaging a little less than 6 1/3 innings a start, and nine of his 16 starts have been quality starts. Lester went 2-1 with a 4.01 ERA in June.

In his last outing vs. Toronto on June 27 the lefty was able to get a win despite allowing four runs on seven hits over seven innings. He also allowed two home runs but was supported by a monster effort of 10 runs from the Red Sox hitters.

The 28-year-old has been average against the Athletics in his career with a 3-3 record and a 4.53 ERA. Kurt Suzuki and Jonny Gomes are the only Oakland players with a substantial amount of at-bats against Lester. They are 3-for-14 and 4-for-12, respectively.

Coming off an oblique injury, the former Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon is slated to start for the Athletics opposite Lester.

Colon, known for eating innings, has had an average season for the Athletics, going 6-7 with a 4.22 ERA. He had a dismal May in which he was 1-3 with a 7.92 ERA, including two outings when he allowed six or more runs. That came on the heels of an impressive April when he was 2-2 with a 2.86 ERA.

His last start came on June 17 when he only was able to get through two innings before he was pulled after suffering a pulled oblique on his right side. He allowed one run and received the loss in the 2-1 defeat to the Padres.

The 39-year-old, a member of seven teams in his career, has faced only two Red Sox players more than 10 times. David Ortiz has the most at-bats and is an abysmal 5-for-43. Adrian Gonzalez is 4-for-15.

Red Sox vs. Colon (RHP)

David Ortiz (47 plate appearances): .116 BA/.191 OBP/.209 SLG, 1 double, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 4 walks, 15 strikeouts

Adrian Gonzalez (15): .267/.267/.667, 2 home runs, 2 RBIs, 5 strikeouts

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (9): .222/.222/.333, 1 double, 1 RBI, 3 strikeouts

Dustin Pedroia (8): .143/.250/.143, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Kelly Shoppach (8): .125/.125/.250, 1 double, 5 strikeouts

Nick Punto (6): .400/.400/.400

Josh Beckett (3): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Cody Ross (3): .333/.333/.333, 1 RBI

Mike Aviles (2): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Athletics vs. Lester (LHP)

Kurt Suzuki (16 plate appearances): .214 BA/.313 OBP/.214 SLG, 2 walk, 2 strikeouts

Jonny Gomes (13): .333/.385/.583, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 1 walk, strikeouts

Brandon Inge (5): .000/.200/.000, 1 RBI, 1 walk

Coco Crisp (3): .500/.333/.500, 1 RBI

Cliff Pennington (3): .000/.333/.000, 1 walk

Jemile Weeks (3): .000/.333/.000, 1 walk, 1 strikeout