Napoli gets rest as Sox start seven-game trip

ST. PETERSBURG -- For just the third time this season, Mike Napoli was not in Boston's starting lineup. Napoli is healthy, and manager John Farrell simply wanted to give the first baseman a rest.

The Red Sox are playing the next three games on turf before going to Baltimore for a four-game series. Napoli played all 18 innings in Saturday's doubleheader before playing a day game on Sunday.

"Mike will be back in the lineup tomorrow, and this is coming out of the doubleheader, the three games in two days," said Farrell. "He's been going at it pretty consistently. We felt like it was a chance to get another left-handed bat in there against [Alex] Cobb, which is going to be a tough assignment for us tonight. Our bench allows us to do some of these things and allow guys to get their legs under them and stay fresh."

Mike Carp, who started in place of Napoli at first base and batted sixth, hit a two-run single as part of the Red Sox's six-run first inning. Daniel Nava, who hit an RBI double in the first, batted in Napoli's No. 5 spot.