Looking to reach the .500 mark with a win on Memorial Day, the Detroit Tigers will kick off a four-game set at Fenway Park with the Red Sox on a balmy Monday afternoon.
The 23-24 Tigers will send No. 2 starter Doug Fister to the mound to face a Red Sox lineup boosted by the return of slugger Kevin Youkilis, who has hit the ball well since returning from a 22-game absence with lower back discomfort. Daily Detroit starters Brennan Boesch, Ramon Santiago and Alex Avila will each open the game from the bench however, as manager Jim Leyland has opted to shake up his lineup for the series opener.
Despite hitting just .151 for the season with seven RBI, Leyland has decided to put struggling utility man Ryan Raburn in the No. 2 hole in favor of the red-hot Andy Dirks, who is hitting .328. In a strange twist, Dirks will assume the No. 7 spot for Monday's game after apparently settling into a top-of-the-order role over the last month.
The Red Sox are just 10-13 at Fenway this year, but have won 11 of their last 16 games and appear to be peaking at the ideal time. With a four-game series ahead, it will be paramount for Detroit to come out ahead in game one. Here are the starting lineups for Monday's game.
Tigers
1. Quintin Berry - CF
2. Ryan Raburn - RF
3. Miguel Cabrera - 3B
4. Prince Fielder - 1B
5. Delmon Young - DH
6. Jhonny Peralta - SS
7. Andy Dirks - LF
8. Gerald Laird - C
9. Danny Worth - 2B
Doug Fister - SP
Red Sox
1. Daniel Nava - LF
2. Dustin Pedroia - 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez - RF
4. David Ortiz - DH
5. Kevin Youkilis - 1B
6. Jarrod Saltalmacchia - C
7. Ryan Sweeney - CF
8. Will Middlebrooks - 3B
9. Mike Aviles - SS
Felix Doubront - SP
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