The Red Sox will look to defeat the Rangers for the first time this season on Tuesday night, and they will get a little reinforcement back at the top of their lineup.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who hasn't played since being hit by a pitch in Friday's game in Kansas City, returns to his spot atop the Red Sox lineup for the second game of a four-game series.
Ellsbury will look to provide a spark to a sputtering offense, a unit that has been beaten up by injuries as of late. To do so, Ellsbury and the rest of the lineup will have to generate something against Texas starting right-hander Colby Lewis. He went six innings and gave up three runs on his way to picking up the win against the Red Sox during the season's first series.
Adrian Gonzalez, who is in his usual third spot in the lineup and at first base, recorded three hits off of Lewis in that April 2 game. The only other member of the Red Sox lineup with at least three hits against Lewis is David Ortiz, who remains out due to injury.
John Lackey returns to his home state of Texas to face the Rangers. The right-hander is 6-6 with a 6.78 ERA in his career at Texas, and is 11-13 overall with a 6.07 ERA in his career against the Rangers.
Boston
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Marco Scutaro, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Josh Reddick, RF
Jed Lowrie, 3B
Carl Crawford, LF
Ryan Lavarnway, DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
