Red Sox lineup

Game 2 hero J.D. Drew is out, replaced by Coco Crisp. Terry Francona indicated yesterday that Drew might sit out to protect his back, still recovering from a herniated disc, from playing games on consecutive days. Crisp will play center, and Jacoby Ellsbury moves to right.

(Career batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage against Joe Saunders in parantheses.)

RED SOX
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, RF (.143, .250, .143)
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B (.389, .389, .444)
3. David Ortiz, DH (.200, .250, .200)
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B (.250, .368, .563)
5. Jason Bay, LF (.333, .333, 1.333)
6. Mike Lowell, 3B (.214, .267, .214)
7. Jed Lowrie, SS (.250, .250, .250)
8. Jason Varitek, C (.000, .333, .000)
9. Coco Crisp, CF (.294, .294, .706)
-- SP: Josh Beckett

This lineup will face Joe Saunders, who is pitching to save the Angels season tonight. A 27-year-old lefty who attended Virginia Tech, Saunders has never thrown a postseason pitch. That did not diminish his confidence when he faced reporters yesterday.

“Welcome the opportunity,” he said yesterday. “I still like our chances. I think if we play our game, and we play like we’re capable of playing, we can definitely come back in this series.”

There is an old notion that lefties struggle in Fenway Park. (This is an old wives’ tale, disproved emphatically by Jon Lester, but that’s a discussion for another day.) Saunders last pitched at Fenway on July 30, going six innings, yielding two runs on five hits, and earning a victory. Saunders also beat the Red Sox on April 24 at Fenway, going six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.

“Just going out there and, I think, not pitching really to the ballpark, more pitching to my game,” Saunders said. “Just letting my stuff work, and not really focusing on the Green Monster or, you know, Pesky’s Pole of stuff like that. Just pitching my game and trusting my stuff. I’ve just been fortunate in past experiences.”