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Colon set to make Red Sox debut vs. Royals

May 21, 2008 - 12:49 PM Kansas City (21-24) at Boston (29-19) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - With the way the starting pitchers have been performing lately, adding a former Cy Young award winner to the mix almost seems like an embarrassment of riches for the Boston Red Sox.

Bartolo Colon will make his first start for the Red Sox when they host the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Boston lefthander Jon Lester opened the four-game series with the 18th no-hitter in franchise history on Monday and rookie Justin Masterson allowed one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings Tuesday to earn his first major league win.

Colon, who won the 2005 Cy Young award with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, was signed to a minor league deal by the Red Sox in spring training with hopes that he could regain some of that form, following abbreviated season in both 2006 and 2007 due to shoulder problems.

The burly righthander went 6-8 with a 6.34 ERA in 19 games - 18 starts - for the Angels last season - the worst numbers of his 13-year career.

But Colon has progressed steadily in his recovery this spring, going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in three starts for Class AAA Pawtucket. The righthander, who turns 35 on Saturday, suffered an oblique strain in April but has made two rehab starts since his return - touching 93 miles per hour in his outing May 15.

The Royals will counter veteran Brett Tomko (2-4, 5.32 ERA). The journeyman righthander picked up his first win since April 6 last Friday at Florida, surrendering two runs and five hits in six innings.

The Red Sox took Tuesday's matchup, 2-1, and have won five straight games.