Erik Bedard, LH Ted Lilly, LH (4-0, 2.77) (1-1, 3.77)Game time is 7:07 on CSN and RSN.
With a win today, Bedard will become the first five-game winner in the majors. Bedard might be getting something out of Leo Mazzone, or he might just be getting something out of himself. I actually tend to think it's the latter given the performance of the rest of the staff thus far.
I've always liked Ted Lilly, even when he was a Yankee. He had a rough 2005 and has been goofy this year, bombing in his first start against the D-Rays (2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 6 BB) and then dominating the Red Sox (7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K), then a strange effort against the Yankees (5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 5 K). With this start, Lilly has already faced the entire AL East.
Like last year before his injury, the Bedard starts are exciting because you expect to win, or at least I do. That's been a rare thing during the sub-.500 franchise slump, and it's nice to have.