Tonight's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Lester

RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-8, 5.12) tonight will make his 20th start of this season, his 10th on the road and the 9th of his career vs. Boston. Guthrie is coming off one of his best starts of this year. He got the win last Sunday at Chicago, giving up just three hits and two runs over eight innings. He allowed two solo homers and threw 108 pitches. The O's are 8-11 when Guthrie starts, but have won four of the last five. In three July starts, he is 1-1, 5.19. In nine road starts, Guthrie is 3-4, 6.34. Guthrie has allowed 22 homers in 19 starts, just two less than he gave up all of last year. Right-handed batters hit .261 off Guthrie while lefties bat .268. He has allowed 31 of his 66 runs in the first two innings of his starts in 2009. Guthrie vs. Boston: 2009: 0-0, 9.64 one start (4 2/3IP, 8H, 8R, 5ER on April 17) 2008: 1-2, 4.12, four starts Career: 1-2, 4.01, eight starts (49 1/3IP, 57H, 8 HR) LHP Jon Lester (8-7, 3.87) tonight will make his 20th start of this season, his 10th at home and the 11th of his career vs. the Orioles. Lester has been on a nearly two month pitching roll. Over his last eight starts, he is 4-2, 1.78. Over his last four starts, he is 2-1, 1.26. Right-handed batters are hitting .244 off Lester while lefties bat .276 against him. The Red Sox are 12-7 when he starts. Lester was a second-round draft pick in 2002. Last season with Boston, he went 16-6, 3.21. In nine home starts in 2009, Lester is 4-3, 3.14. Lester vs. Baltimore: 2009: 2-0, 0.00, two starts (14IP, 9H, 0R, 2B, 17K) 2008: 3-0, 2.70 five starts (30IP, 29H, 21K) Career: 8-0, 2.18, ten starts (62IP, 57H, 15ER, 21B, 46K) In his two starts vs. the Orioles this season, the Birds' batters have nine hits in 50 at bats vs. Lester, all singles. They have a collective .180 batting average and .180 slugging percentage vs. the left-handers.