Sox Summary: Homeward bound!

After using the home run ball to power them to a 6-1 over the Washington Nationals on Sunday in the District of Columbia, the Red Sox are ready for the Yankees on Opening Night Sunday.

Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew were the leaders of the offense as they combined to drive in half of Boston’s runs via the home run. Youkilis and newcomer Bill Hall each drove in two runs in the win.

Ryan Zimmerman was 1-for-2, with an RBI in the defeat for the Nats.

Tim Wakefield got the win, pitching four innings and allowing just three hits. He was followed by Daiuske Matsuzaka, who also tossed four frames of two-hit and one-run baseball.

The Red Sox finish the spring season with a 17-14-1 record and will open the regular season on Sunday night against the New York Yankees. Josh Beckett will face C.C. Sabathia in a marquee pitching matchup that will be televised to am national audience on ESPN.

Friday’s Sox-Nationals lineups

Today, the Red Sox begin a home-and-home series against the Washington Nationals with their final game at City of Palms Park in 2010.

The teams meet again at 4 p.m. tomorrow from Nationals Park in Washington. Immediately following today’s game, the Red Sox will head north to our nation’s capital for tomorrow’s final tune-up.

RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Victor Martinez C
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
J.D. Drew RF
Mike Cameron CF
Marco Scutaro SS

Pitching: RHP Clay Buchholz.

NATIONALS
Nyjer Morgan DH
Willie Harris RF
Cristian Guzman 2B
Mike Morse 1B
Roger Bernadina LF
Alberto Gonzalez 2B
Wil Nieves C
Eric Bruntlett SS
Willy Tavares CF

Pitching: LHP Scott Olsen.

Sox Summary: Lester sharp in final tune up

Jon Lester was outstanding in seven innings on Wednesday, as the Red Sox bested the Baltimore Orioles, 14-6, at Ed Smith Stadium. Lester gave up three hits and a run to earn his first win of the spring.

Victor Martinez shined at the plate for the Red Sox, going 3-for-5, with two runs and six RBI. Dustin Pedroia also finished 3-for-5. The Red Sox totaled 17 hits in the game, compared to eight from Baltimore.

The Red Sox return to action on Thursday afternoon against Minnesota at City of Palms Park.

Sox Summary: Bats quiet in loss to Tampa

The Red Sox were 9-3 losers against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at City of Palms Park.

Marco Scutaro led the Red Sox offense, going 2-for-4, while Josh Beckett took the loss in his final spring start. Beckett pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, while walking one and fannng eight.

The teams will meet again on Tuesday afternoon in Port Charlotte. The game will be televised on ESPN at 1:05 p.m.

Monday’s Sox-Rays lineups and notes

The Red Sox (13-13) meet the Tampa Bay Rays (17-7) at City of Palms Park tonight on NESN in the first of a pair of games between the teams. The spring series concludes at Charlotte Sports Park tomorrow afternoon in an ESPN televised game.

Red Sox
Marco Scutaro SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Mike Lowell 3B
Jason Varitek C
Mike Cameron CF
Bill Hall LF

Pitching: RHP Josh Beckett followed by LHP Scott Schoeneweis, LHP Alan Embree and RHP Joe Nelson

Rays
Jason Bartlett SS
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
B.J. Upton CF
Willy Aybar DH
Pat Burrell RF
Hank Blalock 1B
Sean Rodriguez 2B
Nevin Ashley C

Pitching: RHP Jeff Niemann.

NOTES

* Daisuke Matsuzaka threw 62 pitches in a simulated game at the minor league complex earlier this afternoon. Matsuzaka will start in three minor league games in early to mid April at Pawtucket and Portland, before joining the big club in Boston.

Boof Bonser and Manny Delcarmen also threw in the game today.

* Back on Yawkey Way, the Red Sox brass unveiled minor improvements to Fenway Park this morning, which will be officially revealed to the public on Sunday night.

The 12,000 blue wood seats in the outfield grandstand were given new springs in order to help them retract and spring up when a fan leaves their seat. Several concessions and restrooms were also added for the upcoming season.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino made his annual pre-season trip to the Fens to check out was done in the offseason.

Sox Summary: Sox clinch Mayor’s Cup; One week to regular season

The Red Sox clinched the Mayor's Cup against Minnesota, as they are 4-2 against the Twins with one spring game to go. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

An 11-5 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at City of Palms Park gave the Red Sox their fourth straight Mayor’s Cup series over their cross-town rivals in Lee County.

Victor Martinez went 4-for-5, with four runs and three RBI for the Red Sox, while David Ortiz and Tug Hulett each notched three RBI via the long ball.

Clay Buchholz gave up five hits and four runs in 4.2 innings for his first win of the spring. He struck out seven and did not allow a free pass to first base.

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The Red Sox are exactly one week away from Opening Day. The regular season kicks off next Sunday at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees.

Sunday’s Twins-Red Sox lineups and notes

Red Sox
Ellsbury LF
Pedroia 2B
Martinez C
Youkilis 1B
Ortiz DH
Beltre 3B
Cameron CF
Hall RF
Scutaro SS

Pitching: RHP Clay Buchholz followed by Scott Atchison, Ramon Ramirez, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon.

Twins
Span CF
Hudson 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer RF
Thome DH
Kubel LF
Hardy SS
Harris 3B

Pitching: RHP Carl Pavano.

NOTES

* Yesterday, the Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles, 6-1, at Ed Smith Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Alan Embree made his Red Sox return, giving up two hits and three runs in two-thirds of an inning. The loss dropped the Red Sox to 12-13 on the spring.

* Casey Kelly will throw 60-65 pitches as the starter against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, while original starter Tim Wakefield will pitch in a minor league game. Wake will pitch in the final game of the spring at Nationals Park on Saturday.

* Mike Lowell took some grounders this morning and will also take batting practice. His left knee is improving after fouling off a pitch. There is a chance he could play tomorrow against the Rays.

* Jeremy Hermida will be out until at least Tuesday with a right hamstring injury.

Sox Notes: Sox busy on trade wires; announce rotation

The Red Sox acquired a pair of players on Friday, as the team is set to begin the final week of Spring Training before opening in eight days at Fenway Park. The Sox signed infielder Kevin Frandsen from the Giants for a player to be named later or cash and have also agreed to terms on a deal for lefthanded reliever Scott Schoeneweis.

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Boof Bonser and Daisuke Matsuaka will pitch in a minor-league game on Monday. Tim Wakefield and Matsuzaka will pitch next Saturday in the final Spring Training game against Washington. Newly-acquired lefty Scott Schoeneweis threw a short bullpen session today, upon arriving to Fort Myers. He could get in a game as soon as tomorrow when the Red Sox host Minnesota for the final time this spring.

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The Red Sox announced their Opening Week rotation on Friday, which includes the Yankees series at Fenway Park and the Royals series at Kauffman Stadium.

Opening Day, April 4 vs. Yankees: Josh Beckett
April 6 vs. Yankees: Jon Lester
April 7 vs. Yankees: John Lackey
April 9 vs. Royals: Tim Wakefield
April 10 vs. Royals: Beckett
April 11 vs. Royals: Clay Buchholz

Sox Summary: Red Sox walk-off to top Jays

David Ortiz and Tug Hulett hit ninth-inning RBI singles in a 3-2 walkoff win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday afternoon at City of Palms Park.

The Red Sox committed three errors, but still finished the game with a three-game winning streak.

Jon Lester pitched six strong innings of six-hit and two-run (none earned) ball, as he walked a pair and struck out five.

The Red Sox head to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday afternoon for the fourth meeting between the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.

Sox Summary: Red Sox back on win streak with win over Fish

Tim Wakefield pitched six strong innings in a 6-4 win for the Red Sox over the Florida Marlins on Thursday at City of Palms Park.

Wakefield gave up six hits, three runs, and three walks in the six innings, while striking out five.

Jeremy Hermida was 2-for-2, with an RBI, while Marco Scutaro finished 1-for-4, with two RBI.

The Red Sox will host Toronto at City of Palms Park on Friday afternoon.