--RF J.D. Drew needed to take another night off Wednesday night because of his cranky lefty quad muscle after playing a full nine innings in wet, cold conditions in Cleveland in Tuesday night's loss. The 33-year-old Drew again felt tightness in the quad area -- an injury that caused him to miss one game at the beginning of the week -- and was replaced by OF Jonathan Van Every. The injury isn't considered to be serious, but the Sox might elect to rest Drew until the tightness completely dissipates.

--1B Kevin Youkilis missed his first game of the season after getting hit in the back/shoulder area of his left side on Tuesday night for the second time in recent weeks. Youkilis was hit in the left side by Indians starter Carlos Reyes in the first inning of Tuesday night's game but played the rest of the game at first base. Manager Terry Francona indicated that Youkilis had been plunked in the exact same area a week or two ago and was hurting a bit. Francona voiced hopes that Youkilis would be ready to go Thursday night in Tampa Bay.

--OF Jonathan Van Every collected his first big-league hit and launched his first major league home run on Wednesday night at the exact perfect time for the Red Sox. Van Every's 10th-inning blast proved to be the game-winner for the Sox in the victory over the Indians -- the team that drafted and developed Van Every before he signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent before the 2008 season. The 29-year-old Van Every was in the lineup when RF J.D. Drew couldn't play because of tightness in his left quad and has shown enough defensive ability to stick in the majors as a reserve outfielder.

--DH David Ortiz is riding a nine-game hitting streak, during which he's hitting .316 (12-for-38) with 8 RBI and has raised his batting average from .158 to .235. Big Papi still has yet to really begin driving the ball to right field with any authority and has instead been spraying hits all over the field while utilizing the short Green Monster to great effect. Ortiz still hasn't hit a home run this season; his last one was on Sept. 22, 2008, a span of 99 at-bats.

MEDICAL WATCH:

1B Kevin Youkilis (back) did not play April 29 because of soreness that resulted from being hit by a pitch the night before.

OF J.D. Drew (sore left quadriceps) left the April 26 game. He did not play April 27, was back in the lineup April 28 and then was sidelined again April 29. He is day-to-day.

OF Rocco Baldelli (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list April 21. The injury was considered minor.

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (mild right shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He threw on flat ground April 21 and threw long toss April 27.

SS Jed Lowrie (sprained left wrist) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He had surgery April 21, and he is expected to be out until the All-Star break.

OF Mark Kotsay (back surgery in January 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He was rehabbing in Fort Myers, Fla., in mid-April, and he hopes to return in May.

RHP John Smoltz (right shoulder surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He was rehabbing in Fort Myers, Fla., in mid-April, and he expects to pitch for the Red Sox in June, barring any setbacks.

RHP Miguel Gonzalez (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 14.

ROTATION:

RHP Josh Beckett

LHP Jon Lester

RHP Tim Wakefield

RHP Brad Penny

RHP Justin Masterson

BULLPEN:

RHP Jonathan Papelbon (closer)

LHP Hideki Okajima

RHP Ramon Ramirez

RHP Manny Delcarmen

RHP Takashi Saito

LHP Javier Lopez

LHP Hunter Jones

CATCHERS:

Jason Varitek

George Kottaras

INFIELDERS:

1B Kevin Youkilis

2B Dustin Pedroia

SS Nick Green

3B Mike Lowell

DH David Ortiz

SS Julio Lugo

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Jason Bay

CF Jacoby Ellsbury

RF J.D. Drew

OF Jeff Bailey

OF Jonathan Van Every