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Red Sox lineup has same No. 2 hitter (hitting .103) for second straight night vs. Cardinals
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- Red Sox lineup has same No. 2 hitter (hitting .103) for second straight night vs. Cardinals
ST. LOUIS — With the Red Sox struggling to score runs in the early part of the regular season, Alex Cora is actively searching for an effective mix at the top of his lineup. On Saturday, for the second straight day, that mix will include third baseman Caleb Durbin despite his early-season struggles.
Durbin, who is hitting just .103 (4-for-39) with eight strikeouts so far this season, is in the No. 2 spot for the second straight night as Boston faces the Cardinals on Saturday. This time, Roman Anthony is leading off (as the designated hitter) after sitting out Friday’s 3-2 loss . Jarren Duran is in left field and hitting third with Masataka Yoshida the odd man out of the outfield/DH mix against righty Kyle Leahy .
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After starting the year 0-for-18, Durbin has gone hitless in his last three games but Cora is pleased with his approach at the plate and views it as an indicator of a potential breakout. In 20 plate appearances over his last six games, Durbin has three hits, two walks, a hit-by-pitch and two strikeouts. His plate discipline has impressed Cora.
“He’s not chasing,” Cora said. “When you start doing that, good things are going to happen. That’s the reason he’s hitting second.
“In the Milwaukee series, he didn’t chase one pitch. Yesterday, although the results weren’t there, the approach was good.”
Elsewhere in the Red Sox lineup, things are status quo with Marcelo Mayer (second base) and Carlos Narváez (catcher) both starting against the right-handed Leahy.
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Cora had used Trevor Story in the second spot for the first nine games before moving him down in the lineup Monday. Since, the Sox have employed Yoshida, Duran, Andruw Monasterio and Durbin (now twice) there. It appears Durbin will have a chance to stick in the spot.
On the mound for the Red Sox is lefty Ranger Suárez , who is in dire need of a bounce-back start after logging an 8.64 ERA in his first two starts for Boston. The Red Sox will look to improve upon their 1-6 road record.
Saturday’s game is an hour earlier than Friday’s, at 7:15 p.m. ET, and will air nationally on FOX.
BOSTON RED SOX (4-9) vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (8-5) · BUSCH STADIUM · ST. LOUIS, MO · GAME 14
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FIRST PITCH: 7:15 p.m. ET
TV CHANNEL: FOX
RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM
PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Ranger Suárez (0-1, 8.64 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Leahy (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
RED SOX LINEUP:
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Caleb Durbin 3B
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Jarren Duran LF
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Wilyer Abreu RF
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Trevor Story SS
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Marcelo Mayer 2B
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Carlos Narváez C
CARDINALS LINEUP:
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JJ Wetherholt 2B
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Iván Herrera DH
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Nolan Gorman 3B
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Ramón Urías 1B
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José Fermín LF
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