Can you think of any better way to spend your Friday night than watching Brad Bergesen pitch against the Red Sox? I can. That's why I'll be at the Baysox game with Felix Pie (yay!) and Mike Gonzalez (sigh) and fireworks after the game.
The bad news about the Red Sox is they aren't exactly the team the Orioles swept in the beginning of May. When they limped out of Camden Yards on 2 May, the Red Sox were 11-14 (four games ahead of the O's) and in fourth place in the AL East. Since then they have won more games than any team in baseball with a record of 36-18. They're now in second place, one game behind the Yankees.
The good news about the Red Sox is that they are riddled with injuries. Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek are both on the DL with a broken foot. Manny Delcarmen is on the DL with a strained forearm (although he's kinda sucked this year). Victor Martinez has a broken thumb so the O's won't see him. Josh Beckett has been on the DL since mid-May with a back strain. Adrian Beltre isn't injured, but he has crashed into both Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida and broken their ribs. Mike Lowell has a bum hip. Jed Lowrie has mono. J.D. Drew had been out with a sore back, but he's back in the lineup tonight.
Sadly, Kevin Youkilis is just fine.
Lineups:
Orioles: Corey Patterson LF, Miguel Tejada 3B, Nick Markakis RF, Ty Wigginton 1B, Adam Jones CF, Matt Wieters C, Josh Bell DH, Julio Lugo 2B, Cesar Izturis SS
Red Sox: Marco Scutaro SS, Eric Patterson LF, David Ortiz DH, Kevin Youkilis 1B, Adrian Beltre 3B, J.D. Drew RF, Bill Hall 2B, Mike Cameron CF, Kevin Cash C
Even just a week ago I would have thought a LF battle between the Brothers Patterson was kind of adorable, but now that the switch has been flipped on Corey it just annoys me.