Red Sox skipper announces team’s ALCS pitching probables
By Jake Misener
According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Boston Red Sox have set their pitching rotation for the first four games of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers.
Manager John Farrell announced that Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Jake Peavy will start Games 1-4 for the Red Sox late Friday afternoon.
Boston is coming off a Division Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays while their opponent, the Tigers, finished off a pesky Oakland Athletics team in a deciding Game 5 on the road Thursday night.
Lester, who will open the series at Fenway Park for the Red Sox, tossed 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball against the Rays in the ALDS, allowing just three hits – two of which left the ballpark.
The southpaw will be followed by Clay Buchholz, who put together a masterful regular season, despite missing time with an injury. The 29 year-old Buchholz went 12-1 with a 1.74 earned run average this season; a testament to his skill on the mound.
Resurgent John Lackey will take the hill in Game 3 after notching a win in the Division Series against the Rays. He tossed 5 1/3 innings, scattering seven hits and allowing four runs.
For Game 4, midseason acquisition arm Jake Peavy will take the hill after a promising postseason debut for Boston last week. He allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings of work, scattering five hits against Tampa Bay.
The American League Championship Series begins Saturday night at Fenway Park. First pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET. Lester will be opposed by Tigers’ right-hander Anibal Sanchez.