LEFT TURN: The Red Sox oppose LHP Martin Perez tonight and are 20-11 (.645) when facing a left-handed starter this season, the 2nd-best mark in the Majors behind the Giants (21-9, .700)…Boston is 2nd in the Majors with 43 homers vs. lefties and is 2nd in the AL with a .453 SLG against southpaws.
BACKSTOP BARRAGE: Last night Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his 19th home run of the season, tops among Major League catchers and 3 more than the next most by a catcher (ATL’s Brian McCann and CWS’s A.J. Pierzynski each have 16)…He is on pace for 32 homers while the all-time Red Sox record for homers in a season by a catcher is 26 by Carlton Fisk in both 1973 and 1977.
- Saltalamacchia has gone deep 8 times in 26 contests since 6/16, during which span he ranks 3rd among AL players with an average of 11.50 AB/HR (min. 100 PA)…He is tied for 10th in the AL overall with 14 homers since 5/19.
DUSTIN & DOERR: Last night Dustin Pedroia committed his 1st error since 4/20, ending a stretch of 65 errorless games…It was the longest single-season errorless streak of Pedroia’s career and the longest by a Red Sox 2nd baseman in a season since Bobby Doerr went 73 straight games without a miscue from 6/23-9/19(G2)/48, according to STATS.
LILLIBRIDGE TRADED: INF/OF Brent Lillibridge, designated for assignment by Boston on 7/16, was traded to Cleveland today in exchange for minor league RHP Jose De La Torre, who has been assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket.
De La Torre, 26, is 8-1 with 2 saves, a 2.91 ERA (18 ER/55.2 IP) and 58 K’s in 34 games (1 start) between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus this year, his 6th pro campaign.
