Lavarnway, Kalish In Red Sox Lineup vs. Twins
BOSTON (CBS) - With the team sputtering this season, despite winning four of their last five games, Red Sox fans have been calling for the "stars of the future" to get their chance.
That all starts Thursday night as Boston opens a four-game set against the Minnesota Twins.
The Red Sox lineup Thursday night will feature Ryan Kalish in right and Ryan Lavarnway behind the plate, joining former-prospect Will Middlebrooks, who has already earned the everyday job at third base this season.
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For Lavarnway, it will be his 2012 debut after appearing in 17 games for Boston in 2011.
When he takes the field, he and teammate Craig Breslow --acquired from the Diamondbacks at Tuesday's trade deadline -- ill become the second pair Yale Bulldogs to play in at least one game for the same Major League team in a season. Frank Quinn and Sam Mele where the first to do it, also for the Red Sox, in 1949.
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Breslow made his 2012 Red Sox debut Wednesday night, striking out two in 1.1 innings out of the bullpen.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez will look to continue his hot streak at the plate Thursday night, after collecting his fourth multi-hit game in five nights on Wednesday. Gonzalez leads the majors with a .389 average (51-for-131) since June 23, collecting 17 multi-hit games in 33 contests.
Here is the full Red Sox lineup for Thursday night:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
5. Cody Ross, DH
6. Ryan Lavarnway, C
7. Will Middlebrooks, 3B
8. Ryan Kalish, RF
9. Pedro Ciriaco, SS
Jon Lester (5-8, 5.49 ERA) gets the start for Boston, opposed by rookie Samuel Deduno (2-0, 3.13 ERA) for the Twins.
