World Series notebook: Victorino will return to lineup

BOSTON – 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 tonight in Game 6.

Boston leads the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2.

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’s 3-1 victory, although his back wasn’t as stiff as it had been.

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.

Craig will play for Cardinals

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny expects to have banged-up Allen Craig in the lineup tonight.

Craig missed more than a month because of a sprained left foot before returning for the World Series. He was the designated hitter for the first two games in Boston, and started one game at first base in St. Louis.

Craig is 4 for 12 in the Series.

“I had a quick conversation with him. He said he felt good today. So that was a great response and what we wanted to hear,” Matheny said.

Matheny said he was still deciding where to put Carlos Beltran in the lineup. Beltran has hit in both the second and fourth slots.