The 24-year-old is one of a group of fresh-faced ballplayers who have softened the blow of both illness and injury for the Sox over the first month of the season. In cases like Lowrie and outfielder Brandon Moss, players originally brought up as insurance policies have also shown promising signs to Boston's coaching staff.

"With Lowrie, I think that we're pleased with how he's playing the game. That's stating the obvious," Francona said of a young ballplayer who has begun to draw comparisons to former batting champion Bill Mueller. "He's a really mature young man. That doesn't mean that they don't have anything to learn, but he seems to be pretty hungry to learn on the job and help us win games.

"That makes it fun for the staff, and it's a little easier when you have young guys around the club that want to learn and do things right. There's nothing wrong with that."

When a rash of injuries removed third baseman Mike Lowell, utility infielder Alex Cora and first baseman Sean Casey from the lineup, it was Lowrie's turn to step into a catch-all utility role. Moss was ready to answer the bell Wednesday night when J.D. Drew left Tuesday night's game with quadriceps tightness.

Lowrie was thrown out at the plate as a pinch runner in the ninth inning Wednesday night, but he nearly gave Moss a game-winning RBI on his single up the middle.

"There are a lot of guys that are going to contribute this year," first baseman Kevin Youkilis said. "I think for us it's going out and trying to win every day. The young guys have been filling in really nicely, and one thing we have on this team is a lot of depth."

RED SOX 2, BLUE JAYS 1: A Jason Varitek single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday scored a speeding, sliding Manny Ramirez from second base, giving the Red Sox their eighth walk-off win of the young season. David Ortiz crushed a solo homer in the seventh inning to give the Sox a 1-0 lead, but the Boston bullpen betrayed Daisuke Matsuzaka after the righty tossed seven shutout innings.