It doesn’t get any better than this. The ALCS started as a best-of-seven series a whopping nine days ago, and after the two teams split games 1 & 2, it became a best-of-five series. Once they split games 3-6, it turned into what it is now: a best-of-one.
Jon Lester takes the bump for the BoSox, and much has been made of his innings total after his stuff looked flat in Game 3. Right now he’s working on a career high 230 IP including the postseason, while his previous career high was 163 IP, set just last year. It’s no secret why Lester looked fatigued in his last start, a jump of 67 IP will do that to anyone.
Rays’ starter Matt Garza is also working on a career high in innings pitched, but his total of 196.2 IP (including playoffs) is just barely more than his previous career high of 185, which he set back in 2006. Garza’s fastball was still popping Dioner Navarro’s mitt late in Game 3, and there’s little reason to suspect that fatigue will be an issue for the former Fresno State Bulldog. Anything can happen in one game though, so expect the unexpected.
Someone’s going home tonight, and regardless of who it is, let me be the first to congratulate them on a great season. We should be in for a good one, enjoy it.
Bahston
1. Coco Crisp, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. JD Drew, RF
6. Jason Bay, LF
7. Mark Kotsay, 1B
8. All-Star Catcher Jason Varitek, C
9. Alex Cora wins games, SS – damn Tito, I thought you weren’t supposed to mess with the lineup in the middle of a winning streak
– Jon Lester, P (16-6, 3.21)
Tampa Bay
1. Akinori Iwamura, 2B
2. BJ Upton, CF
3. Carlos Pena, 1B
4. Evan Longoria, 3B
5. Carl Crawford, LF
6. Willy Aybar, DH
7. Dioner Navarro, C
8. Rocco Baldelli, RF
9. Jason Bartlett, SS
– Matt Garza, P (11-9, 3.70)
Site note: No DotF tonight – the entire AzFL is off, and no Yanks’ farmhands are in the lineup for HWB Waikiki. You can see everyone’s overall winter ball stats here.
Rays’ cheerleader pic from flickr user dbadair, who’s got a badass set of pics from Game 2.