Toronto Blue Jays vs Boston Red Sox mlb live streamed online audio video feed internet coverage sopcast radio commentary april 15, 2011. Game Review: As the Boston Red Sox continue to struggle, their fans may be wondering whether the departure of pitching coach John Farrell has played a role in the club having the highest ERA in baseball.
Boston (2-9) has the worst record in the major leagues, and it seemed relieved that the finale of a three-game set against Tampa Bay was rained out Wednesday. That gave the Red Sox two days off.
"I don't think that'll hurt one bit -- being able to step away from it," manager Terry Francona said.
7:10 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Pitching Matchup
Toronto v Boston
Brett Cecil
0-1, 7.20 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 at LAA
5.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = ND
Clay Buchholz
0-2, 7.20 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 vs NYY
3.2 IP, 4 ER
Dec = Loss
Injury Report
Toronto
* Brandon Morrow SP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
* Dustin McGowan SP - Apr 14: 60-Day DL
* Frank Francisco RP - Apr 11: 15-Day DL
* Rajai Davis CF - Apr 11: 15-Day DL
Boston
* Matt Albers RP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
The Red Sox have a 6.77 ERA, well above the 4.20 mark they posted last year under Farrell. Boston's pitching coach the previous four seasons was hired to manage Toronto (6-6).
"It will be a different view of the ballpark sitting on the third-base side, I know that," Farrell told the Blue Jays' official website. "For four years, I have stared at that Green Monster right in my face. It's just a good place, it's a great place, and we're looking forward to the four-game series."
Toronto had a 4.22 ERA last season, but the Blue Jays are at 3.07 in 2011 -- among the best in baseball.
Farrell will be looking across the field at a team that appears to have lost its confidence. Boston also started 2-9 in 1925, 1927 and 1996.
"Everybody's worried. I won't lie to you," slugger David Ortiz said. "Everybody's working their butt off to get things better. Things are not coming the way we expected, but everybody's trying to change things around."
Newcomer Carl Crawford is batting .152 while Kevin Youkilis is at .182 with 10 strikeouts and two RBIs.
The offensive woes, though, have taken a back seat to the problems on the mound. A revamped bullpen that looked very formidable going into the season has the worst ERA in the majors at 6.69, while three starters have ERAs over 7.00.
One of those starters is Clay Buchholz (0-2, 7.20 ERA), who gave up five runs over 3 2/3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday.
The right-hander may be in good position to earn his first victory Friday. He has gone 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts versus the Blue Jays over the last two seasons.
First baseman Adam Lind has gone 9 for 24 (.375) against him, but left fielder Travis Snider is 1 for 15.
Farrell held Lind, Snider and Aaron Hill out of the lineup as the Blue Jays ended a four-game skid with an 8-3 victory at Seattle on Wednesday. Lind has gone hitless in his last 13 at-bats, Hill is batting .170 and Snider is at .211.
Hill hit .137 against Boston last year while Snider struck out 19 times in 47 at-bats. Lind, though, batted .392 in the season series while Jose Bautista had eight homers and 15 RBIs versus the Red Sox despite a .227 average.
Boston took 12 of 18 from Toronto in 2010.
The Blue Jays' Brett Cecil (0-1, 7.20) won both of his outings at Fenway Park in 2010 despite a 4.97 ERA. He had lost his three previous starts against the Red Sox with a 7.80 ERA.
The left-hander lasted five innings in each of his first two starts this season, allowing five runs in a 6-5, 14-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Blue JaysFarrell will make his return to Fenway Park on Friday night as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, who have a vastly improved ERA over last season.
(6-6, 2-4 away)
Red Sox
(2-9, 2-3 home)
Boston (2-9) has the worst record in the major leagues, and it seemed relieved that the finale of a three-game set against Tampa Bay was rained out Wednesday. That gave the Red Sox two days off.
"I don't think that'll hurt one bit -- being able to step away from it," manager Terry Francona said.
7:10 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Toronto v Boston
Brett Cecil
0-1, 7.20 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 at LAA
5.0 IP, 5 ER
Dec = ND
Clay Buchholz
0-2, 7.20 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 vs NYY
3.2 IP, 4 ER
Dec = Loss
Injury Report
Toronto
* Brandon Morrow SP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
* Dustin McGowan SP - Apr 14: 60-Day DL
* Frank Francisco RP - Apr 11: 15-Day DL
* Rajai Davis CF - Apr 11: 15-Day DL
Boston
* Matt Albers RP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
The Red Sox have a 6.77 ERA, well above the 4.20 mark they posted last year under Farrell. Boston's pitching coach the previous four seasons was hired to manage Toronto (6-6).
"It will be a different view of the ballpark sitting on the third-base side, I know that," Farrell told the Blue Jays' official website. "For four years, I have stared at that Green Monster right in my face. It's just a good place, it's a great place, and we're looking forward to the four-game series."
Toronto had a 4.22 ERA last season, but the Blue Jays are at 3.07 in 2011 -- among the best in baseball.
Farrell will be looking across the field at a team that appears to have lost its confidence. Boston also started 2-9 in 1925, 1927 and 1996.
"Everybody's worried. I won't lie to you," slugger David Ortiz said. "Everybody's working their butt off to get things better. Things are not coming the way we expected, but everybody's trying to change things around."
Newcomer Carl Crawford is batting .152 while Kevin Youkilis is at .182 with 10 strikeouts and two RBIs.
The offensive woes, though, have taken a back seat to the problems on the mound. A revamped bullpen that looked very formidable going into the season has the worst ERA in the majors at 6.69, while three starters have ERAs over 7.00.
One of those starters is Clay Buchholz (0-2, 7.20 ERA), who gave up five runs over 3 2/3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Saturday.
The right-hander may be in good position to earn his first victory Friday. He has gone 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA in seven starts versus the Blue Jays over the last two seasons.
First baseman Adam Lind has gone 9 for 24 (.375) against him, but left fielder Travis Snider is 1 for 15.
Farrell held Lind, Snider and Aaron Hill out of the lineup as the Blue Jays ended a four-game skid with an 8-3 victory at Seattle on Wednesday. Lind has gone hitless in his last 13 at-bats, Hill is batting .170 and Snider is at .211.
Hill hit .137 against Boston last year while Snider struck out 19 times in 47 at-bats. Lind, though, batted .392 in the season series while Jose Bautista had eight homers and 15 RBIs versus the Red Sox despite a .227 average.
Boston took 12 of 18 from Toronto in 2010.
The Blue Jays' Brett Cecil (0-1, 7.20) won both of his outings at Fenway Park in 2010 despite a 4.97 ERA. He had lost his three previous starts against the Red Sox with a 7.80 ERA.
The left-hander lasted five innings in each of his first two starts this season, allowing five runs in a 6-5, 14-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
