01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, April 26, 2006

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

CLEVELAND -- Boston manager Terry Francona decided to flip-flop his week-ending starting rotation because of Monday's off day. Matt Clement will pitch against Tampa Bay on Friday, which will be his normal fifth day, and Lenny DiNardo is scheduled to start on Saturday.

"I'll do whatever they ask me to do," said Clement. "I would obviously like to pitch every fifth day, but I know we have a good rotation and it's easy to flip-flop guys around. Whatever they think is best is what I'm going to agree with."

Clement last worked Sunday in Toronto and earned the victory, while DiNardo was roughed up (seven runs on 10 hits) in only his second start last Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Francona spoke with Clement about keeping him on the every-fifth-day schedule, and it isn't anything more than that. There had been some speculation that DiNardo would not make his next start, and that the club might call up Matt Ginter and/or Abe Alvarez from Pawtucket, but there's been no change.

Francona said yesterday since Clement did not go too deep on Sunday (5 1/3 innings on 97 pitches), it was an easy decision to make the switch. If Clement went a little longer, the change would not have been made.

In the meantime, DiNardo will throw a side session to prepare for his next start.

"With young pitchers," said Francona, "the idea is to hope that it helps."

Injury report

The Red Sox' M*A*S*H unit back in Boston -- David Wells (knee), Coco Crisp (finger) and David Riske (lower back) -- is progressing, said Francona. Scott Waugh, the club's physical therapist, called the Red Sox skipper yesterday and told him everyone is fine. For Crisp, baseball-related activities will begin when the Sox return home on Monday. Wells has been throwing and has been working out in the pool, but it's not known whether the veteran left-hander will make another rehab start in Pawtucket.

A good thing ends

Red Sox pitching prospect Craig Hansen had his scoreless streak snapped on Monday night in Altoona. The hard-throwing right-hander had not yielded a run in the first 22 2/3 innings of his career, beginning with his pro debut last season in Double-A Portland.

jmcdonal@projo.com / (401) 277-7340