Red Sox Vs. Astros Lineup: Mitch Moreland Returns, David Price Starts In Game 5

The Boston Red Sox can punch their ticket to the 2018 World Series with a win over the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night.

The Red Sox put the reigning champions on the brink of elimination with a thrilling Game 4 win Wednesday night and will look to claim victory in the final game at Minute Maid Park in the best-of-seven series.

Boston will welcome back Mitch Moreland to the starting nine Thursday. The first baseman has been hobbled by a hamstring injury but still managed to make his way into the first four games as a pinch hitter. Not to mention, Moreland is 10-for-32 (.313) with six doubles and six RBIs in his career against the Astros’ Game 5 starter Justin Verlander.

Verlander was sharp in Houston’s only win of the series, tossing six innings in which he allowed two runs on two hits with six strikeouts in Game 1. The right-hander will be opposed by David Price, who didn’t hang around long enough in Game 2 to earn his first career playoff win as a starter but did help propel Boston to its victory of the series.

Here are the lineups for Thursday’s Red Sox-Astros Game 5:

RED SOX (3-1)
Mookie Betts, RF
Andrew Benintendi, LF
J.D. Martinez, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Rafael Devers, 3B
Christian Vazquez, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

David Price, LHP (2018 playoffs: 0-1, 9.95 ERA)

ASTROS (1-3)
Alex Bregman, 3B
George Springer, RF
Jose Altuve, DH
Carlos Correa, SS
Yuli Gurriel, 1B
Marwin Gonzalez, 2B
Tony Kemp, LF
Martin Maldonado, C
Jake Marisnick, CF

Justin Verlander, RHP (2018 playoffs: 2-0, 3.18 ERA)