In his first game back in Oakland since being traded to Boston last month, Eric Patterson gets a rare start at second base for the Red Sox as they kick off a series with the Athletics on Monday night.
Patterson, traded from Oakland to Boston on June 26, will be making his third start at Dustin Pedroia's vacated position. Bill Hall has handled the bulk of the duties since Pedroia left the lineup.
Including Patterson, the Sox will feature four left-handed bats against Athletics starter Ben Sheets. The six Boston starters who have faced Sheets are a combined 20-for-64 (.313).
J.D. Drew is 10-for-34 with four homers, a triple and a double vs. Sheets.
Amazingly, the Oakland starters are an identical 20-for-64 against Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka. Kurt Suzuki, who went 6-for-14 with three homers in a three-game series at Fenway Park last month, is 4-for-8 with a home run vs.Matsuzaka.
Here are the complete lineups for both teams:
Red Sox
1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Eric Patterson, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Daniel Nava, LF
8. Darnell McDonald, CF
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
