--RF J.D. Drew suffered yet another set of painful spasms in his lower back last weekend and is running out of opportunities to get into game action prior to the playoffs. The 32-year-old has experienced lower back stiffness and spasms each time he's attempted batting practice since leaving a game on Aug. 17, and he doesn't appear all that close to a return. If Drew's stiff lower back doesn't improve to the point where he can play during Boston's final seven-game homestand, there's a fair chance the injured outfielder won't crack the postseason roster.
--DH David Ortiz smashed a home run in Sunday's win over Toronto, which marks the 230th round-tripper in his six-year Red Sox career. The 230 home runs leaves Ortiz in a tie with former 1B Mo Vaughn for sixth place on Boston's all-time home run list. Ortiz has also belted 20 home runs for the last seven consecutive seasons, with six of those campaigns coming as a member the Red Sox. "Big Papi" also revealed earlier this week that his cranky left wrist bothers him most during the first day of a road series -- possibly due to the air travel -- but general improvement in his wrist has allowed him to return to his bashing self. --OF Jason Bay reached the 100-RBI plateau for the third time in his career last weekend, an accomplishment that also allowed him to reach the 30-homer, 100-RBI benchmarks for the third time in his career. Bay is one of only seven players in major league history to reach 100 runs, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs and get traded in the same season. Bay is joined by Mark Teixeira (2008) Carlos Lee (2006), Carlos Beltran (2004), Fred McGriff (1993), Ralph Kiner (1953), and Goose Goslin (1930) in that fairly unique distinction. Dodgers LF Manny Ramirez is one run away from joining the exclusive club as well.
--SS Julio Lugo felt a little tenderness in his left quad after taking groundballs Saturday and may be hard-pressed to return to full health before the end of the season. The middle infielder has been out of commission on the 15-day disabled list since July 12, and he has only seven home games remaining to heal up the strained leg muscle. "(Lugo's) availability is certainly in question," manager Terry Francona said. The Sox might have been able to utilize Lugo's speed and right-handed bat off the bench if he were healthy, but SS Jed Lowrie has opened eyes since replacing Lugo in the starting lineup.
--RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka has been tough all season in pushing his record to 18-2 with Sunday afternoon's win, but the 28-year-old Japanese hurler has been literally unbeatable on the road. Matsuzaka finished up the year with a perfect 9-0 in road starts this season and cobbled together a 2.31 ERA in 13 road outings. Matsuzaka also held hitters to a .180 average away from home while allowing only five home runs in 76 innings.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- One-run losses that the Sox suffered at Tropicana Field at the hands of the Rays this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're fine. We've just got to keep on playing. I never noticed the difference between winning the division and the Wild Card. As long as you're in, you're in." --DH David Ortiz, talking about a preference of entering the playoffs as a division winner or wild card entry.
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