World Series Game 4 lineup notes: Ross in for Red Sox, Descalso in for Cardinals, Craig OK

(Getty Images / USA Today) ST. LOUIS — There aren't too many big lineup changes as we head into Sunday's Game 4 of the World Series. Each team subbed one starter, but they're both guys who have been routinely splitting time.

Catcher David Ross gets the start for the Red Sox instead of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was the center of that wild Game 3 finish on Saturday night. This isn't a normal instance of a pitcher matching up with a specific catcher, though. Boston's Game 4 starter Clay Buchholz had been paired with Saltalamacchia in his previous three starts. Ross started Game 1 of the series, while Saltalamacchia started Games 2 and 3. Ross is the better of Boston's two catchers defensively.

For the Cardinals, Daniel Desclaso gets the nod at shortstop instead of Pete Kozma, who was 0-for-4 Saturday night. Desclaso also started Game 2 and saw action in Game 3 off the bench. Neither of them have a hit in the series thus far.

A few other pregame lineup notes:

(USA Today)

• Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Allen Craig is OK after being helped off the field Saturday night on the final play. Craig had X-rays on his injured foot, they were negative and he is available to pinch hit.

• Matheny flip-flopped Jon Jay and David Freese from Saturday's lineup, putting Jay sixth and Freese seventh.

• Mike Napoli took grounders at third base during Saturday's pregame, but he's still not in Boston's lineup for Game 4. Napoli, the Red Sox's second biggest slugger, is on the bench because there's no DH in the National League park. If Napoli were to play third base, it would likely be in a late-inning switch situation.

• With Ross in the lineup for the Red Sox, skipper John Farrell bumped Stephen Drew up to the seventh spot. He'd batted eighth thus far in every game in the series.

• Clay Buchholz IS starting for the Red Sox, which still apparently wasn't a sure thing, even until today because of his shoulder issues. Buchholz has said he's not 100%, but he's starting for Boston in what will be an everything-he's-got final outing of the year.

THE LINEUPS

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