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Afternoon delight

Print | Comments () Posted by Steve Silva, Globe Staff May 14, 2008 07:41 AM

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It's a 3:05 p.m. start today at Camden Yards for the suddenly slumping Red Sox, who have dropped four of their last five games. We'll have pregame updates, lineups, in-game blogging from the Globe's Nick Cafardo, game photos, and more this afternoon on Boston.com.

Lefthander Jon Lester (2-2, 4.06) gets the start for the banged-up Red Sox, who today find themselves trailing the Rays by a half-game in the AL East. Lester struggled in his last start in Minnesota on Friday, giving up three earned runs -- five overall -- and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. In his previous two appearances before facing the Twins, Lester allowed only one run and five hits in 14 innings. Over his career, Lester has had three career starts against the O's, and has won all three, with a 3.00 ERA.

For the O's, it's 6-foot-9 righthander Daniel Cabrera (3-1, 3.54 ERA) on the hill. He'll be trying to end a personal seven-start losing streak against the Sox. In those seven starts, Cabrera has a 7.44 ERA, with 29 walks in 32 2/3 innings. Over his career, Cabrera is 1-9 against Boston with a 7.84 ERA.

This season, the Orioles are 6-1 in Cabrera's eight appearances. He is coming off an impressive complete-game three-hitter in a 4-1 Orioles win at Kansas City, where he struck out seven and walked just one.