--INF Jed Lowrie entered Wednesday night with two errors in 209 total chances while playing three different infield positions for the Sox this season. The sure-handed Lowrie hasn't committed an error in 111 chances while manning shortstop this season and has been the polar opposite of SS Julio Lugo, who confounded the Sox over the first half of the season with his erratic defensive play. The only two miscues for the rookie infielder thus far have come at third base, a position that he's manned in 36 big-league games this season.
--3B Mike Lowell was out of Wednesday's lineup with right hip soreness associated with a partially torn right labrum in his hip that's been bothering the infielder for several months. The 34-year-old was scheduled to have a conference call with a pair of hip specialists on Thursday's off day, but he was assured by doctors on Wednesday that he wasn't doing any further damage to the hip injury by playing. Lowell was unsure whether he'd be ready to play on Friday in Toronto, and manager Terry Francona said -- fair or unfair -- that it might come down to how much pain Lowell can tolerate while still playing. Lowell admitted that surgery on the troublesome hip is a possibility following the season. --DH David Ortiz smashed a pair of home runs in the Wednesday night defeat and became the first player to launch a home run into the D-Ring of the Tropicana Field catwalk without the ball ever landing. The powerful performance marked the third multi-homer game of the season and the 33rd for Ortiz during his major league career. Ortiz also reported that his left wrist -- which has given him problems intermittently since coming off the 15-day disabled list on July 25 -- has been feeling better as of late. "My hand has been feeling good the past few days. I hope it stays like that for a while," Ortiz said. "We're fine, dog. We just got to keep on playing."
--OF J.D. Drew took some mighty swings during batting practice prior to Wednesday night's game, but he reported that his back tightened up following the hitting session. The minor setback continues the game of "one step forward, two steps back" that has typified the right fielder's attempted recovery from a lower back strain since leaving a game on Aug. 19. The Sox intend for Drew to get treatment during Thursday's off day and then hope that his troublesome lower back loosens up enough for him to play during the weekend series in Toronto.
--OF Mark Kotsay is hitless in his last 15 at bats for the Sox and has struggled to a .211 batting average in 15 games since Boston made a waiver trade with the Atlanta Braves for the 32-year-old on Aug. 27. While the lefty-hitting outfielder has struggled at the dish since arriving in Boston, he has been versatile enough to play 13 games in right field and two games at first base since arriving. Manager Terry Francona vowed loyalty when it comes to etching Kotsay's name in the lineup card, despite his offensive woes. "(Kotsay is) going to play. We're not going to play Pawtucket down the stretch," Francona said. "I have no intention of not playing (him). He'll hit himself right out of this one."
BY THE NUMBERS: 100 -- RBIs reached by Kevin Youkilis on Sept. 10, a career high for Youkilis and a signal of the offensive breakthrough the Sox slugger has enjoyed this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "My hand is not OK. It's still (bothering) me once in a while. But we're still winning, so I don't pay attention to it. I keep on trying. There's no pain. Clicking. If there was pain, I wouldn't be playing. Pain won't allow you to play like that. It's the same thing, on and off." -- DH David Ortiz, talking about the continued discomfort in his left wrist that he'll be playing through for the rest of the season.
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