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Sunday’s Red Sox-Yankees matchups: Jon Lester vs. Ivan Nova 07.08.12 at 1:29 pm ET
By Kevin Dillon

Jon Lester

In the final game of the four-game series with the Yankees, the Red Sox will look to veteran Jon Lester to settle down a team that seems to be faltering entering the All-Star break.

Lester (5-5) has a 4.33 ERA and a 1.306 WHIP on the season while recording 88 strikeouts in 17 starts. These numbers are worse than they were at this point last season for Lester, who had a 3.43 ERA and 105 strikeouts in his first 17 starts in 2011. However, the lefty had a strong outing Tuesday in Oakland, only allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine through 6 2/3 innings pitched.

Against the Yankees in his career, Lester is 8-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 17 starts. One of the more interesting matchups on Sunday will be the battle between Lester and Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez only has six hits against Lester in his 37 plate appearances, but of those six hits, three are home runs and two are doubles.

Doing battle with Lester is young righty Ivan Nova, who has had a lot of success with the Yankees since arriving in the major leagues in 2010.

Nova (9-3) has a 4.05 ERA and 90 strikeouts this season in 16 starts. His numbers are better than they were last year, as Nova had a 4.26 ERA and 48 strikeouts through his first 16 starts in 2011, despite finishing with an impressive 16-4 record.

While Nova is only 25 and was a rookie last season (he appeared in 10 games with the Yankees the season before), Nova has had his fair share of dealings with the Red Sox lineup. One player he has had a lot of success with is Adrian Gonzalez, who had a career-high 17-game hitting streak entering Saturday night’s game. Nova has not allowed Gonzalez to record a hit in any of his nine plate appearances against him.

Yankees vs. Lester (LHP)

Derek Jeter (53 plate appearances): .347 BA/.396 OBP/ .408 SLG, 1 home run, 5 RBIs, 10 strikeouts

Robinson Cano (48): .267/.292/.356, 4 doubles, 4 RBIs, 8 strikeouts

Nick Swisher (45): .278/.386/.556, 2 home runs, 4 doubles, 11 strikeouts

Mark Teixeira (38): .206/.289/.294, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 13 strikeouts

Alex Rodriguez (37): .176/.243/.500, 3 home runs, 6 RBIs, 9 strikeouts

Andruw Jones (27): .316/.481/.474, 1 home run, 5 RBIs, 7 strikeouts

Curtis Granderson (22): .238/.273/.381, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 10 strikeouts

Jayson Nix (14): .333/.429/.833, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, 4 strikeouts

Raul Ibanez (12): .333/.333/.500, 2 doubles, 5 strikeouts

Russel Martin (11): .286/.545/.286, 3 walks, 2 RBIs, 2 strikeouts

Red Sox vs. Nova (RHP)

David Ortiz (12 plate appearances): .273 BA/.333 OBP/.545 SLG, 1 home run, 1 walk, 2 RBIs

Adrian Gonzalez (9 plate appearances): .000/.111/.000, 1 walk, 1 RBI, 3 strikeouts

Mike Aviles (6): .333/.333/.500, 1 double, 2 RBIs

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (5): .000/.000/.000, 3 strikeouts

Daniel Nava (4): .333/.500/.333, 1 walk, 1 RBI

Kelly Shoppach (4): .000/.250/.000, 1 strikeout

Ryan Kalish (3): .000/.667/.000 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Cody Ross (2): .500/.500/1.000, 1 double, 1 strikeout

Nick Punto (1): 1.000/1.000/1.000

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  • I WANT THAT JOB

    RED SOX WIN THIS GAME

  • redsoxfan22

    Lester sucks

  • steve

    Celtics just plain suck. All the players on the Celtics are rejects that no other team wanted Terry Crawford Bradley Lee and Pierce is pathetic

  • Wizard of C

    I’m melting… MELTING!!!!!!!

  • DANNY ADKINS

    NBA PLAYERS GET PAID A LOT OF MONEY THAT BOSTON CELTICS HAVE SO MANY PLAYERS THAT DONT COME TO PLAY EVERY NIGHT MAKING SO MUCH MONEY? JET NO FUEL! B.BASS EVERYONE OPINION EXCEPT DOC RIVERS! HE REALLY STINKS. COURTNEY LEE ANOTHER DOC RIVERS OPINION // THEN HE SAYS HE LIKES J. CRAWFORD?? JEFF GREEN I THINK IS DISGUSTED LOOKING AT BASS ON THE FLOOR WHILE HE IS ON THE BENCH AND HE JUST DOSEN,T BRING IT EVERY NIGHT EITHER!!! THIS YEAR FORGET IT! HARD FOR A CELTIC FAN TO ADMIT !!

  • big93mike

    It’s hard to believe that Ainge signed Terry for 3 years. He looks like he is completely done. You would think that at the very least he would hit 3 pointers when he is wide open but he can’t even do that. Dallas apparently knew it was time to let him go and the Celtics are the suckers that are paying an over-th-hill player for past production. It’s hard to believe that Bass is the same guy who was on the team last year. He tries hard this year but he is half the player he was last year. His jumper was money in the bank last year.

  • boring media hype

    yawn!!!!!!

  • Bruinman86

    What self-respecting parents name their son Courtney????

  • Bruinman86

    Considering what is left of this team and the age of the stars, why would you expect much more of this team than what you have gotten so far?

  • Acer73

    I’ve been a diehard fan since the 60s. This team is all done! I keep having moments of thinking they will get it together only to be brought back to reality. When they have a team down they can’t burry them like a good team would do. They get a lead and then go away from what got them the lead. Then they let a game get close and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory! How many times can I watch this! How many times are we going to watch Pierce, as great as he’s been, miss a jumper at the end! KG & Pierce are done! Danny BLOW IT UP! First round playoff exit. Oh well we will always have 2008!

  • jaypop

    doc is not the coach for this team anymore, he just is to stubborn to try new things. green should be in the starting line up, and the focus of the offense. doc cried for da to get some bigs and when he does , he don’t play them at all. doc’s system is the problem with the rebounding. all in all time for doc to go !!!

  • Jomo

    word around the campfire is pierce was sauced.. cant really trust a guy who drinks before a game…

  • HairyLarry

    in other news Garnett is a tranny… seriously guy this is what you bring to the table??

  • mike

    team is a complete joke no heart no effort Pierce Terry Lee Green do not even care the team is getting destroyed and there laughing on the side lines Crawford is awful ownership should be embarrass to put this team on the floor and for the fans to pay and watch Paul pierce is so out of shape and he loves himself but he suck

  • rick

    Garnet is all done
    All Garnet does is put on a floor show before the game and during the game he gets embarrass by much younger players who are just more athletic the Celtics have no future

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