For the most part, Red Sox manager Terry Francona has settled upon a pretty regular lineup nearly two months into the regular season. He will utilize that familiar look in the opener of a three-game series with Cleveland on Monday night.
Francona might not be expecting very much production, if history is any guide.
The Red Sox lineup is a combined 5-for-33 (.152) against Indians right-hander and former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson. The first seven hitters are 2-for-22 (.091).
One factor working in Boston's favor is the presence of Adrian Gonzalez, the lone Red Sox starter yet to get his hacks in on Masterson. Gonzalez enters hitting .342 after a 10-for-15 showing in the weekend series against the Chicago Cubs.
The slugging first baseman has six of his nine home runs and nine of his 15 doubles on the road, where he has played six fewer games than at Fenway Park. He went deep in Cleveland back in April, one of the few bright spots in a three-game Cleveland sweep.
Also hot at the plate is catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, batting ninth against Masterson. The young catcher is batting .389 (7-for-18) during a five-game hitting streak. Three of the seven hits have been home runs and one was an RBI double that proved to be the difference in a 1-0 win over Detroit last week.
Clay Buchholz is on the mound for Boston. Here is the full batting order for the Sox, followed by that of the Tribe:
Boston
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Jed Lowrie, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Cleveland
Michael Brantley, CF
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Shin-Soo Choo, RF
Travis Buck, DH
Matt LaPorta, 1B
Orlando Cabrera, 2B
Jack Hannahan, 3B
Austin Kearns, LF
Lou Marson, C
