Manny's back in the lineup

Manny Ramirez is back in the lineup today and batting cleanup, while second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who is 0 for 12 on the homestand and batting .149 (10 for 67) in his last 17 games, has been given the day off.

The Sox have not scored in their last two games against Seattle, losing 8-0 Friday night after falling 1-0 to the M's in Seattle on May 28. Tim Wakefield, the loser in that game, goes today against Miguel Batista.

The Sox start the day a half-game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays, who won 12-4 in Texas last night. Their 8-run loss yesterday matched their most one-sided defeat of 2008, a 10-2 loss at Toronto on April 5, and was their biggest loss at the Fens since they were croaked, 12-2 by the Rockies on June 13, 2007.

Tito Francona comes into today's game needing one win to match Jimy Williams' total of 414 as Sox manager. Jimy ranks fifth on the team's all-time list.

The lineups:

SEATTLE

Ichiro Suzuki 8
Jose Lopez 4
Raul Ibanez 7
Adrian Beltre 5
Jose Vidro D
Richie Sexson 3
Wladimir Balentien 9
Kenji Johjima 2
Yuniesky Betancourt 6

Miguel Batista 1

BOSTON

Coco Crisp 8
Julio Lugo 6
JD Drew 9
Manny Ramirez D
Sean Casey 3
Kevin Youkilis 5
Brandon Moss 7
Kevin Cash 2
Alex Cora 4

Tim Wakefield 1