The Red Sox knew they would have days as the season winds down where the lineup would be filled with the names of call-ups and players looking to prove themselves. Sunday proves to be one of those days.
Pedro Ciriaco, Mauro Gomez, Ryan Lavarnway and Jose Iglesias are all getting the call against the A's, with Ciriaco making a rare appearance in left field.
One player missing from the lineup — Jacoby Ellsbury — is not just getting a day of rest. He's out with an injury — a sore right wrist. But it may be a good day to sit him, as he's 0-for-11 against Oakland's starter, lefty Brett Anderson (2-0, 0.64 ERA).
Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-3, 5.10), coming off his best start of the season, will try to hold back the Oakland offense. Matsuzaka scattered five hits and six strikeouts over seven scoreless innings against the Royals on Monday, and he'll need that and likely more Sunday against an A's team that has battered the Red Sox for 27 runs over two games.
Here are the lineups for Sunday:
Red Sox
Pedro Ciriaco, LF
Scott Podsednik, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Cody Ross, RF
Mauro Gomez, 3B
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Mike Aviles, DH
James Loney, 1B
Jose Iglesias, SS
Daisuke Matsuzaka, P
Athletics
Coco Crisp, CF
Seth Smith, DH
Josh Reddick, RF
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Brandon Moss, 1B
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Stephen Drew, SS
Derek Norris, C
Cliff Pennington, 2B
Brett Anderson, P
