Kevin Cash will get his first action in 17 days when he catches Tim Wakefield in the second half of a day-night doubleheader against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old catcher came off the disabled list Tuesday after a recovery from a strained left hamstring. Regular starter Victor Martinez went 1-for-4 with a run scored in the matinee, a 5-3 Red Sox win.
Cash is one of four Boston starters never to have faced Seattle ace Felix Hernandez. Amazingly, considering Hernandez's success against the Red Sox (3-1, 3.17 ERA), many of the others actually have good numbers against him.
Marco Scutaro and J.D. Drew, the top two hitters in Boston's order, are a combined 14-for-38 (.368) against Hernandez. Designated hitter David Ortiz is 4-for-13 (.308) with a home run. Jed Lowrie, starting at second base after sitting in the opener of the doubleheader, has a hit and a walk in four plate appearances against the big right-hander.
Wakefield was a late addition. Jon Lester, the scheduled starter, was bumped to Friday to take the place of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who will be scratched from that game with a sore lower back.
Here are the lineups for both teams:
Red Sox
Marco Scutaro, SS
J.D. Drew, RF
Victor Martinez, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Daniel Nava, LF
Jed Lowrie, 2B
Ryan Kalish, CF
Kevin Cash, C
Mariners
Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Chone Figgins, 2B
Russell Branyan, DH
Jose Lopez, 3B
Franklin Gutierrez, CF
Casey Kotchman, 1B
Adam Moore, C
Matt Tuiasosopo, LF
Josh Wilson, SS
