Game Preview: Oakland @ Sox GM2

Blanton (14-10) vs. Lester (4-0)
505 @ Fenway

The Sox and As will wrap up their season series with a rare late-afternoon, non-holiday weekday start when Jon Lester takes the mound to try for the mini-sweep.

Boston has to be encouraged by the recent turn of events, namely the returns of Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis, the continued success of scintillating rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, and the re-emergence of J.D. Drew's long lost bat.

Hopefully those good feelings will carry over today and Lester will be able to keep his unbeaten streak intact. After winning three consecutive starts the 23-year-old lefty is coming off two no decisions where he pitched pretty well (3H, 1ER in 6.1IP @ TOR) and pretty poorly (8H, 4ER in 3.2IP vs. TB), and despite facing a team that is closer to last place than first, Oakland still figures to give the youngster a hard time.

Also working against Boston will be the opposing pitcher, Joe Blanton. Even though his record doesn't reflect it, he's 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA vs. Boston this year and is known for his large frame, bulldog mentality, and wicked curve.

He might be more famous in Beantown for being the hurler on the mound when Curt Schilling tossed his one-hitter in Oakland back on June 7th. In that game Blanton was nearly as good as Schill, pitching 7 1/3 innings of 3-hit, 1-run ball, but when a team comes within one out of a no-no, pretty good just ain't gonna cut it.

Word from the Globe is that Manny will once again start in the two-slot, with Ellsbury again starting in place of Coco, who is still suffering from an illness.

Probably from watching his job evaporate right before his very eyes.

Unfortunately I'm not gonna catch this one as I've got Little League tonight, and I'm not gonna bother DVRing it because if they win they should and if they don't I don't wanna see it anyway.

Now you can guarantee it will be some kind of historic game.