Red Sox manager Terry Francona promised that there would be some changes to the lineup Saturday. It is a day game after a night game and the second of many upcoming games in which the team will face a left-handed starter.
He wasn’t kidding.
The struggling Carl Crawford will be out of the starting lineup for the first time as a member of the Red Sox. Jed Lowrie, who is 8-for-17 (.471), will bat leadoff for the first time in his career. Crawford went 3-for-28 after being installed in the leadoff spot at the beginning of the homestand, and is batting .137 overall.
The next four are the same as Friday night’s lineup, but Mike Cameron will fill in for J.D. Drew in right field and bat sixth. Jason Varitek is behind the plate, catching Josh Beckett and batting seventh.
Darnell McDonald, whose one hit this year is a solo homer, will take Crawford’s spot in left and bat eighth.
Cameron has two home runs and a walk in seven plate appearances against Blue Jays lefty Jo-Jo Reyes.
Here is the complete lineup in support of Beckett, followed by that of Toronto:
Red Sox
Jed Lowrie, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Cameron, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Darnell McDonald, LF
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Blue Jays
Yunel Escobar, SS
Corey Patterson, CF
Jose Bautista, RF
Adam Lind, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Travis Snider, LF
Jayson Nix, DH
Jose Molina, C
John McDonald, 3B
