Lowrie Returns To Red Sox, Wakefield Goes For Win 200
BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Red Sox utility-man Jed Lowrie is back after missing two months with a shoulder injury.
Lowrie returns to the Red Sox as they open a three-game series against the Twins in Minnesota. He started the season with a bang, batting .368 in April, but slumped before the injury. Lowrie is batting .270 for the season with 25 RBI and 11 doubles.
"It's part of the game," Lowrie told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller about his injuries woes throughout his career. "You play the game the right way, sometimes you get hurt. Every injury I've had is because I play the game hard and I play the game the right way. If I stayed awake thinking of that, I'd drive myself crazy. "
Lowrie, who went 7-for-17 during a five-game rehab stint with the Pawtucket Red Sox, will start at third base and bat eighth. With Kevin Youkilis getting the night off, Dustin Pedroia will bat clean-up and Carl Crawford will move into the two-hole.
"It's great for us," Manager Terry Francona said of Lowrie's return. "For the first six weeks of the year, he was our best hitter; our most productive hitter."
Francona also said there is nothing wrong with Youkilis and he is just getting a day off. Tito said he might give Pedroia Wednesday off, giving his second baseman two days off before Boston opens a three-game set in Seattle.
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Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-4, 4.99 ERA) will take his third shot at career win number-200 Monday night, opposed by the Twins Scott Baker (8-3, 3.01 ERA).
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Here is the full Red Sox lineup for Monday night:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Josh Reddick, RF
Jed Lowrie, 3B
Marco Scutaro, SS
