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October 24, 2007
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Boston manager Terry Francona adjusted his batting order for tonight's Game One of the World Series because of the number of left-handed pitchers on the Rockies.
J.D. Drew was dropped down from sixth to seventh and Julio Lugo was moved up from ninth to eighth, followed by Jacoby Ellsbury, who will start in center and bat ninth.
This gives the Red Sox more of a left-right-left-right balance in their order, something Francona and his staff thought was necessary since the Rockies were starting a left-hander (Jeff Francis) and had left-handers Jeremy Affeldt, Franklin Morales and Brian Fuentes in their bullpen.
So Boston will have Mike Lowell, a right-handed hitter, batting fifth, followed by switch hitter Jason Varitek, and then Drew (left-handed), Lugo (right-handed) and Ellsbury (left-handed) with Dustin Pedroia (right-handed) at the top of the order as it turns over.
''This way if we do get to the bullpen they don't have an inning they can have a lefty fly through three guys in a row. That would seem too easy,'' said Francona.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 5:52 PM | Permalink
