Victorino set to play for Sox

BOSTON (AP) - Shane Victorino's stiff back is feeling better, so Red Sox manager John Farrell plans to start him when Boston tries to win the World Series championship in Game 6.

Boston leads the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 going into Wednesday night.

The right fielder missed the last two games, and the Red Sox won without him. In Game 4, Jonny Gomes hit a three-run homer in a 4-2 win after Victorino was a late scratch from the lineup.

Victorino also sat out Monday night's 3-1 victory, although his back wasn't as stiff as it had been.

"He was available last night," Farrell said Tuesday at Fenway Park. "He wasn't restricted to defense only or at the plate only. We fully expect him to be full go tomorrow."

Victorino is having a rough Series at 0 for 10.

Farrell also said David Ross would start his second straight game at catcher instead of regular Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Ross, known for his handling of pitchers rather than his hitting, had a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning of Game 5.

"David has given us a spark offensively out of the position. And that's not to be disrespectful to Salty in any way," Farrell said. "And, at the same time, David has done a great job running the game from a game-calling perspective."

Ross is 3 for 12 with six strikeouts in three games. Saltalamacchia is hitless in six at-bats with four strikeouts in the other two games.

Cox Media Group