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Sunday Red Sox Lineup: Will Middlebrooks, Jacoby Ellsbury Return

By Ben Buchanan
July 31, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (64) bunts a ball during batting practice prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE
July 31, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (64) bunts a ball during batting practice prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE

It's all hands on deck Sunday, and for good cause: if the Red Sox lose tonight, against Nick Blackburn, and are swept by the twins, the MLB might well take a page out of European soccer's book and relegate the Sox to Triple-A.

Jacoby Ellsbury will bat leadoff with Will Middlebrooks slotting into the seventh spot. Of course, having those two back doesn't keep the Sox from risking a bad situation by putting Ryan Kalish in right field and Cody Ross in the DH spot rather than one of their two backup catchers. An injury in the outfield and things could get messy.

Otherwise it's pretty typical stuff. Mike Aviles continues to start, Jarrod Saltalamacchia plays behind the plate, Crawford - Pedroia - Gonzalez fill in the 2-3-4.

Lineup

BOSTON RED SOX MINNESOTA TWINS
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF Ben Revere, CF
Carl Crawford, LF Darin Mastroianni, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B Joe Mauer, C
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Josh Willingham, LF
Cody Ross, DH Justin Morneau, 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C Ryan Doumit, DH
Will Middlebrooks, 3B Brian Dozier, SS
Ryan Kalish, RF Alexi Casilla, 2B
Mike Aviles, SS Jamey Carroll, 3B

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