Sox @ Oakland, Game 4

Red Sox (2-1) at Oakland (1-2)
Lester (0-1) vs. Harden (1-0)
3:35EST Oakland Mausoleum

The Athletics gave permission to MLB to allow this game, previously scheduled to be a night contest, to take place at 12:30 Pacific Coast Time in order to accommodate the road-weary Red Sox. This way they can get out of Oaktown later this afternoon and head to Toronto instead of waiting until after a night game and arriving north of the border in the middle of the night.

Thank goodness for small favors.

The other bonus of this switch is that it allows us sleep-deprived members of RSN get to bed at a normal hour tonight, helping to make up for the late-night/early morning contests that have been hallmarks of this crazy beginning to the 08 season.

In the getaway game today Jon Lester will try to do what Dice K did last night: shake off the rust from his first start in Japan and hang in there long enough to earn a win. Lester was pretty lousy in the Sox loss in Tokyo, allowing 4 runs on five hits and 3 walks in four innings in game 2, and his performance didn't exactly make everyone feel confident that he can pick up the slack in the absence of Curt Schilling.

On the other side of the hill Rich Harden was damn near perfect in Japan, shutting down the Sox lineup on 1 run and 3 hits while fanning 9 in six innings of work. Not bad for a kid who missed most of last season with an arm injury.

The other thing to watch for today is whether or not David Ortiz can finally get off the schneid. Big Papi has been the Big 0-Fer this season, hitless in 11 at bats while leaving numerous men stranded on base. Sure it's early, but these games count, too, and if he can't get untracked soon it's not gonna get any easier when the Sox start playing actual playoff quality clubs starting next week.

So sit back, relax, watch (or follow) the game today and then enjoy getting to bed early and waking up at a normal hour before we get to actually watch the Sox at a normal hour tomorrow night in Toronto.

Although they have to travel to another foreign country to do so.