The left side of the Red Sox infield will be licking its chops when the club takes on Dallas Braden and the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.
Shortstop Marco Scutaro (6-for-11, RBI) and third baseman Adrian Beltre (4-for-10, HR, 2B, four RBIs) have enjoyed their meetings with Braden, the 26-year-old Athletics left-hander who threw a perfect game May 9.
First baseman Kevin Youkilis will also be happy to see Braden. Youkilis is 3-for-5 with a homer and a double vs. the lefty and is batting .373 (28-for-75) with eight dingers off southpaws in 2010.
Braden is making his first start since June 22. He has been sidelined with left elbow soreness.
Hitters No. 3 through No. 7 in the Oakland lineup are a combined 31-for-84 (.369) against Sox starter Tim Wakefield.
Here are the complete lineups for Tuesday night's contest.
Red Sox
1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Darnell McDonald, LF
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Mike Cameron, CF
8. Bill Hall, 2B
9. Kevin Cash, C
A's
1. Coco Crisp, CF
2. Daric Barton, 1B
3. Kurt Suzuki, C
4. Jack Cust, DH
5. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B
6. Mark Ellis, 2B
7. Gabe Gross, RF
8. Rajai Davis, LF
9. Cliff Pennington, SS
