Sox vs. Tigers 5/1/2005

Pedro Lopez makes his major league debut. Normally I wouldn't advocate Willie Harris starting against a left-handed pitcher, but he's been very solid at short the past two days, while looking very comfortable at the plate. Timo Perez gets the start in RF as Jermaine Dye gets over the Flu. (I hope that's what he's been suffering from for most of April now.) Widger gives AJ the day off.

Pitching matchup: DET: LHP Wilfredo Ledezma

• 1-1, 5.82 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 10.80 ERA vs. CWS in 2005

CWS: RHP Jon Garland

• 4-0, 1.80 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 1.13 ERA vs. DET in 2005

Garland was incredible in April. He should probably win AL pitcher of the month honors. He's going to need to be just as good, if not better today, as our 1st(.256/.322/.393), 3rd(.253/.313/.388), and 6th(.149/.191/.195) hitters are bad against LHP; and the 9th hitter is just plain bad.