Postgame, Orioles 8-4: Mike Lowell was packed up and gone, committing to not wanting to talk too much about things until he gets going.
But both Terry Francona and David Ortiz offered some reactions to Lowell's debut, which included a single in his first at-bat.
"It was nice to get him in there," Francona said. "It was good to get him a couple of at-bats. He got to run the bases. He got to play first base."
Lowell did not field anything other than a throw from Tim Wakefield for an out to end the second and Francona said he was OK with that. The evaluation process of Lowell at first base will take place later. For now it was just about getting some game action.
Ortiz said that despite Lowell being across the diamond from his normal spot, he looked as if he was made for the position.
"Looked like a natural at first base," Ortiz said. "I told him when we were taking grounders, 'Man, you look like you played here forever.' That's what happens when you are good defensively, you look natural everywhere."
Lowell will play again Tuesday when the club plays a split-squad game in Port Charlotte against Tampa Bay, according to Francona.
Among the pitchers slated to get some work in that one are Boof Bonser, Felix Doubront and Jorge Sosa. Jon Lester will start with the other half in Kissimmee against Houston.
Orioles 8-4, Final: Gustavo Molina's fourth hit in as many spring training at-bats helps the Sox generate some excitement in the ninth but a 5-4-3 double play ends it.
One rough inning for Tim Wakefield is pretty much the difference as the Red Sox see their Grapefruit League record fall to 8-4.
Wakefield gets the loss after allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings pitched, overshadowing the return of Mike Lowell and a two-run homer by David Ortiz.
Off to the clubhouse to see what Terry Francona and others have to say.
Mid 9th, Orioles 8-4: We haven't heard much of T.J. Large — who stands about 6-4 — but the former 46th round pick has a nice inning for the Sox.
He strikes out one and then makes a diving stop of a comebacker for the second out. A double is mixed in there before Large gets out of the inning with a fly to right.
End 8th, Orioles 8-4: Aaron Bates hits into a 5-4-3 double play to end the eighth and it's up to T.J. Large to keep this a four-run game for the Sox.
Mid 8th, Orioles 8-4: Another dominant showing by Daniel Bard as he comes on to strike out the side.
Bard was pumping in fastballs and mixing in some stuff with real diving action. He now has seven K's in four innings this spring.
End 7th, Orioles 8-4: Gustavo Molina has a single in the seventh to improve to 3-for-3 this spring. He is eventually forced at second to end a quiet inning.
Daniel Bard is coming on to pitch for Boston.
Mid 7th, Orioles 8-4: There have been four home runs in this one, all to right field, as balls keep getting caught up in the high winds.
The latest is smacked by Brandon Snyder, who hit .343 in 58 games at Double-A Portland last year.
It came off Ramon S. Ramirez, a day after his namesake, Ramon A. Ramirez, walked five men in just over an inning of work.
Not a very good couple of days for the Ramon Ramirezes of the world.
End 6th, Orioles 6-4: The Sox cut their deficit in half as Josh Reddick hits a home run down the line in right.
It was a moon-scraper that Reddick hit and the only question was whether it would be fair, which it was by plenty.
The blast is the first of the spring for Reddick, who now ranks second on the club with six RBI.
3:01 p.m.: We will have more from Tim Wakefield as time goes on, but here is a quick take from him on the start:
"Physically I felt great. I was able to get up and down four times without a problem. Obviously the results weren't what I wanted them to be, but it's spring training and I was able to work out of the stretch a bunch, which I needed to do.
"It's just mechanical. I think I was a little fast today, my timing was a little off and I wasn't able to get that finish on my pitch. … The last inning was really good, I was able to throw some curveballs."
Wakefield also discussed at length Mike Lowell's return to the lineup and what he means to the team. The knuckleballer stressed how happy he was that Lowell was not traded to Texas, calling the 2007 World Series MVP "the most professional guy I've played with."
"To see him battle injury the last couple of years, it's been difficult to watch," Wakefield said of Lowell. "But he's a gamer, he's gonna go out there and give you 125 percent every single night. Just knowing that and having him out there, whether at first base or whatever his role is this year, I'm glad that he's still with us."
We will have more on those two veterans in a bit.
Mid 6th, Orioles 6-2: After Jonathan Papelbon tosses a scoreless inning, Hideki Okajima allows a run, but it might've been preventable.
The first batter Okajima faced, shorstop Pedro Florimon, lofted a high fly to left that Jeremy Hermida seemed to have a bead on. But Hermida was unable to pull it in as he bumped the wall and it went for a triple.
A diving stop by Tug Hulett one out later prevented a hit, but Florimon came in easily for the O's sixth run. Okajima finished the frame with a pair of strikeouts.
End 5th, Orioles 5-2: I returned to the press box in time to see David Ortiz follow up his two-run homer with a hard single, giving him two straight hits after a 1-for-19 start.
Ortiz and another runner were on with no outs, but they were stranded after J.D. Drew, Adrian Beltre and Bill Hall went in order.
2:12 p.m.: Off to hear from Tim Wakefield. Back in a bit.
Mid 4th, Orioles 5-2: Terry Francona talked at length about finding relievers who can get left-handers out this year and take some of the pressure off Hideki Okajima.
Brian Shouse is one of those candidates, but lefty Luke Scott just ripped a Shouse offering into the gap in right-center for a double.
He escapes with a fly ball to right.
2:01 p.m.: Tim Wakefield's day is done after he gets the first two outs in the fourth inning. Not the best of results for the veteran. For whatever reason, things seemed to lack the usual movement.
Brian Shouse has been called on to take his place.
End 3rd, Orioles 5-2: Cla Meredith gets the last out after David Ortiz's homer and as the Sox take the field, we see that Mike Lowell's afternoon is over.
Aaron Bates has replaced Lowell at first base. Lowell went 1-for-2 and had one putout in three innings of action.
1:54 p.m.: Just 1-for-19 entering the at-bat, David Ortiz slugs a two-run shot into the bleachers in right field.
The blast came on a 3-1 delivery from Brad Bergesen and appeared to be an off-speed pitch which Ortiz waited on well.
Bergesen has been pulled in favor of Cla Meredith. Remember him?
Mid 3rd, Orioles 5-0: Luke Scott's three-run homer highlights a six-hit inning against Tim Wakefield, who has been getting hit hard from the start. His knuckleball looks flat.
Even when he went to a fastball, things didn't come out quite right for Wakefield. He unleashed one against right fielder Jeff Salazar that nailed him in the back.
Fortune smiled on Wakefield at one point. John Tucker lined a shot ticketed for right field that struck Pedro Florimon running to second for the last out.
Between innings, Johnny Pesky was honored as he sat in one of the suites behind home plate. There was a nice standing ovation for Mr. Red Sox, including from the players themselves atop the dugout steps.
End 2nd, Orioles 1-0: Even with a beautiful bunt single by Tug Hulett, the Sox go in rapid fashion in the second.
Hulett placed the bunt perfectly to the left of home plate. Pitcher Brad Bergesen and catcher Craig Tatum both arrived at the same time and collided. A throw was never made as Hulett reached for his fourth hit in 11 at-bats this spring.
Mid 2nd, Orioles 1-0: Mike Lowell gets his first putout as a first baseman when Tim Wakefield handles a comebacker to end the top of the second inning.
Wakefield had allowed a one-out double and hit a batter before recording his first strikeout of the game and getting the last out off the bat of John Tucker.
End 1st, Orioles 1-0: After receiving a nice ovation here at City of Palms Park, Mike Lowell lines a single to right to start his spring off on a good note.
The hit came on an 0-2 offering from Brad Bergesen.
Lowell moved to second when David Ortiz walked with two outs and J.D. Drew loaded them up with single to right. (Lowell was barely reaching third base when the throw came back in.)
After those fireworks, Adrian Beltre hit the ball roughly two feet, where it died in front of the plate. Catcher Craig Tatum needed only to grab it and step on the dish to retire the side.
Mid 1st, Orioles 1-0: Two singles to start the game eventually lead to an early run for the Orioles. Luke Scott drives it in with a sacrifice fly to center.
As was the case yesterday in Hammond Stadium against the Twins, the wind is blowing very hard out to right. Scott's fly ball carried Mike Cameron almost to the track and Ty Wigginton followed with a liner to right that seemed to get a boost before J.D. Drew hauled it in.
No chances in the first for Mike Lowell at first base.
1:00 p.m.: The lineup facing Tim Wakefield has a slew of smaller names as many of the regulars have stayed behind.
It looks like this to start:
John Tucker, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Lou Montanez, LF
Luke Scott, DH
Ty Wigginton, 2B
Jeff Salazar, RF
Brandon Snyder, 1B
Craig Tatum, C
Pedro Florimon, SS
11:00 a.m.: At his daily morning meeting with the media, Terry Francona offered up tidbits on a variety of topics, including brief updates on Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jed Lowrie.
The right-hander's sore neck is feeling a bit better and he will start throwing with long tosses, a session which is scheduled to begin soon.
Lowrie is getting blood and stress tests done today. Once the results are in and medical staff clears him, he can resume play.
Francona said he is batting Mike Lowell second against Baltimore in order to get him more at-bats without having to keep him in the game too long.
There were several questions fired at Francona related to the contest for some of the middle-relief spots. He has been pleased so far this spring with Scott Atchison and relatively happy with Brian Shouse, who may be the second left-hander after Hideki Okajima.
"[Having a second left-hander] is a factor, sure," Francona said. "You get to that sixth inning of a game, especially early in a season, you don't want to get [Okajima] up once, twice a game. That doesn't work. A guy who has the ability to get left-handers out is important. … If you have another guy, it saves a lot of wear and tear [on Okajima]."
Shouse, 41, is seen by Francona as a Javy Lopez type, one who is largely around in order to get lefties out but has a two-seamer that can induce ground balls from righties.
On another note, Francona is going to attempt a very difficult double-dip tomorrow. First, he'll manage the team in Kissimmee against old pal Brad Mills and the Houston Astros. That game is at 1:05 p.m.
Then, traffic willing, Francona wants to race the roughly 160 miles to Port Charlotte for a 7:05 p.m. start against Tampa Bay. When offered some alternate directions, Francona said it wouldn't matter as he always gets lost.
It'll be interesting to see if he can pull it off.
9:19 a.m.: We have confirmation that Mike Lowell will get his first action of the spring, starting at first base and batting second for the Sox.
Manager Terry Francona said Monday that he doesn't expect Lowell to have any issues adjusting to the position once he learns some of the new angles.
Lowell has been taking grounders at first for days and was seen Monday taking tosses there from many of the regulars.
With Lowell at first, the Red Sox lineup looks like this:
Mike Cameron, CF
Mike Lowell, 1B
Victor Martinez, C
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Bill Hall, SS
Jeremy Hermida, LF
Tug Hulett, 2B
Off to hear from Francona.
7:49 a.m.: Tim Wakefield will make his third appearance of the spring when he starts against the Baltimore Orioles in Fort Myers.
The second meeting between the two AL East rivals takes place at 1:05 p.m. and we will be all over City of Palms Park to give you updates on and off the field.
Wakefield has thrown five scoreless innings in Grapefruit League play. He has yet to walk a batter, and with each day that Daisuke Matsuzaka is delayed throwing to live hitters, it appears as if the knuckleballer will open the season in the starting rotation.
Also slated to appear on the mound is Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima and Brian Shouse. The Orioles, just 3-8 this spring, start Brad Bergesen.
Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts is not with the team after flying north to see a back specialist for treatment on a herniated disc.
