Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Tue May 25, 2010

Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox had major problems while getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays at home last month, a big reason they remain in an early hole in the AL East. Both the left-hander and his club are trying to prove their poor starts are in the past. Lester looks to win a fifth straight decision and send the Red Sox to their fourth consecutive victory as he faces red-hot Rays righty James Shields at Tropicana Field on Tuesday. Boston began to avenge Tampa Bay’s convincing four-game sweep at Fenway Park from April 16-19 with a 6-1 win in St. Petersburg on Monday night, limiting the major league-leading Rays to six hits. The Red Sox, who had gone 4-14 at Tampa Bay over the previous two seasons, have won six of seven overall as their starting pitching continues to stabilize. Their rotation had a 5.18 ERA after a two-game split at Yankee Stadium last week, but Boston starters have gone 5-1 with a 1.64 ERA in the club’s last six games - all against division leader.

Lester needed only 103 pitches to finish a complete game Thursday against Minnesota, allowing one earned run and six hits while striking out nine without a walk in Boston’s 6-2 win. The southpaw gave up 15 runs in his first three starts, allowing seven runs in six innings of a 7-1 home loss to the Rays on April 18. He hasn’t lost since, going 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last six outings, racking up 49 strikeouts over 43 2-3 innings in that stretch. Shields has been enjoying a similar run, posting six consecutive quality starts. In his last five outings, he has 45 strikeouts and three walks. He is coming off a win at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed four runs - three earned - in 7 1-3 innings of Thursday night’s 8-6 victory. While Shields is 4-7 with a 5.33 ERA in his career against the Red Sox, he’s 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his last three home starts versus Boston. He also earned his first win at Fenway Park on April 17. Kevin Youkilis is 3 for 26 with nine strikeouts against Shields, but the Boston slugger has been locked in lately. After hitting a two-run home run Monday, he has five homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games.