After pummelling the New York Yankees 15-7 in the series opener Thursday night at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox will look to keep their foot on the gas Friday night in Game 2 of the crucial series.
Steve Pearce (three home runs, six RBIs) and Mookie Betts (four hits, two walks) paced Boston’s offense in Game 1, and manager Alex Cora has elected to keep his lineup relatively the same for Game 2.
Sandy Leon will replace Blake Swihart as the starting catcher and hit eighth. Swihart left Thursday’s game with hamstring tightness and was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday.
Boston still will be without shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who will not be in the lineup for the second straight game after taking a fastball off the wrist Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. He is available off the bench, though. Brock Holt, once again, will start at short and hit seventh Friday.
The Red Sox will send Rick Porcello to the mound in search of his 14th win of the season, while the Yankees will counter with All-Star right-hander Luis Severino.
Here are the complete lineups for Friday’s Red Sox-Yankees game:
RED SOX (76-34)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Steve Pearce, 1B
J.D. Martinez, DH
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Eduardo Nunez, 3B
Brock Holt, SS
Sandy Leon, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Rick Porcello, RHP (13-4, 4.03 ERA)
YANKEES (68-39)
Brett Gardner, LF
Giancarlo Stanton, RF
Didi Gregorius, SS
Aaron Hicks, CF
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Greg Bird, 1B
Miguel Andujar, DH
Austin Romine, C
Neil Walker, 3B
Luis Severino, RHP (14-4, 2.94 ERA)
