Pedro Ciriaco Leading Off, Mike Aviles Playing Second Base for Red Sox in Opener With Blue Jays

by Mike Cole on Fri, Sep 14, 2012 at 4:00PM

The Red Sox lineup for Friday's series opener with the Blue Jays is … well, different.

In Bobby Valentine's defense, there's a lot of juggling that needs to be done, but the skipper deserves points for creativity.

Pedro Ciriaco returns to the leadoff spot — his ninth start atop the order — and that pushes Jacoby Ellsbury down a spot to the two-hole. Mike Aviles, who will play second base, moves up to the three-hole and Cody Ross hits cleanup.

A lot of this, of course, has to do with the absence of Dustin Pedroia, who continues to take some time off to tend to his family after his wife gave birth to their second son earlier this week.

Aaron Laffey gets the start for the Blue Jays opposite Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Boston right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.35 ERA in six career starts at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Red Sox
Pedro Ciriaco, 3B
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Mike Aviles, 2B
Cody Ross, RF
Mauro Gomez, DH
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Daniel Nava, LF
James Loney, 1B
Jose Iglesias, SS

Daisuke Matsuzaka, P

Blue
Jays
Rajai Davis, LF
Colby Rasums, CF
Brett Lawrie, 3B
Adam Lind, 1B
Yunel Escobar, SS
Kelly Johnson, 2B
J.P. Arencibia, C
Moises Sierra, DH
Anthony Gose, RF

Aaron Laffey, P