ESPN

BOSTON -- A day after Joel Hanrahan blew a ninth-inning lead in explosive fashion, Red Sox manager John Farrell continued to support his hard-throwing righty.

“He’s our closer,” Farrell stressed in the hours before the Sox were to play the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a three-game set at Fenway Park.

Hanrahan gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning in Boston’s 8-5 loss Wednesday night, serving up a pair of homers that ran his total in that category to three in just 4 2/3 innings this season. It’s been an auspicious beginning to his Red Sox career for Hanrahan, who also limped to the finish line in 2012 with Pittsburgh, where he had an ERA of 5.00 and 10 walks in nine innings last September.

That is far too small a sample size for Farrell to make any rash decisions.

“I think Joel is well aware of what took place last night,” Farrell said, before stressing the confidence he has in those who will fill in while Hanrahan sits following a 32-pitch outing. “Yeah, we do [have a lot of options]. With Andrew Bailey, with [Koji] Uehara, [Junichi] Tazawa, obviously [Andrew] Miller ready to go tonight, [Clayton] Mortensen is available. We’ve got a full complement behind Alfredo [Aceves]. If in fact we need to stay away from Joel tonight just to give him some recovery, we feel confident we can build back to a guy that’s had a lot of closing experience in the past.”

Hanrahan’s implosion Wednesday denied him of his 100th career save. All but three of those were recorded with a bad Washington team or in Pittsburgh, where losing was a habit and the pressure of the ninth-inning shutdown may not have been the same as it is under the bright lights of Fenway Park (even on a night when the sellout streak comes to an end).

Hanrahan did have three scoreless innings on the road before the Orioles tagged him for six runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings in two appearances at home.

Farrell recognizes the difference in market size from Pittsburgh to Boston. He also recognizes a ninth-inning mentality that exists no matter where the save opportunity arises and can, at times, contribute to an unhealthy uptick in adrenaline.

“I think it points more toward aggressiveness,” he said when asked what contributed to the blown save. “Any time you overthrow a little bit you’re going to sacrifice some location for velocity. By no means would we ask Joel to try to throw with less velocity, but prioritizing location is really any pitcher’s goal going in. We recognize that those ninth innings, there’s a lot of adrenaline to harness. He’s had a lot of success doing that. Last night was a game that unfortunately got away from him.”

In addition to harnessing that adrenaline, Hanrahan may be going through an adjustment period that has hindered countless pitchers who move from the National League to the American League. Farrell called AL lineups “a different animal” than those in the senior circuit, and the early home run rate against Hanrahan suggest as much.

In other news:

* There is no specific pitch count on Alfredo Aceves, who threw 56 in relief of John Lackey on Saturday and maxed out at 36 in spring training.

“I think the way the game unfolds and the stress with the pitches that he throws will have a lot to do with when his night is over,” Farrell said. “Hopefully that’s later rather than sooner. But we’re confident with him going to the mound here. ... Without giving a hard number, we’re hoping he’s walking out for the sixth inning or beyond.”

Aceves has not started since June 21, 2011. He threw a career-high 98 pitches in that game.

* The Red Sox are aiming to win their third straight series to start the season for the first time since 1952. The last time the club won that many series in a row at any time was -- remarkably -- last season, when it took five straight in June.

* Boston has struck out at least 10 batters in five straight games, matching the longest streak in franchise history. Not a coincidence, says Farrell.

“I think it’s a reflection of the type of stuff we have,” he said. “I think overall it’s a matter of the talent that our pitching staff has, the swing-and-miss ability, and very good secondary pitches that they have.”

The Red Sox are holding a free open house at Fenway Park for fans on Wednesday April 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fans will be able to enter the Fenway through all gates and walk around Fenway Park to view artifacts, memorabilia and displays throughout the park. The team is also allowing fans walk along the warning track and look inside the Green Monster.

It marks the second consecutive April in which the team is holding this event. Like last season, it will take place during school vacation week.

BOSTON -- That new love affair twixt a town and a team?

You might want to hold off on ordering flowers just yet.

New Boston Red Sox closer Joel Hanrahan learned first-hand Wednesday night how quickly this place can turn on a man when he flipped a pending Sox win one out from completion into a stunning 8-5 defeat.

Entrusted with a 5-3 advantage entering the ninth inning, Hanrahan gave up a home run to Chris Davis, just as he’d done with Adam Jones in the ninth on Monday. In that game, Hanrahan stopped the bleeding, giving up a two-out double to J.J. Hardy but no more runs.

This time, Hanrahan opened a vein, giving up a two-out single to Ryan Flaherty, walking Nolan Reimold on four pitches, then walking Nate McLouth on a full count, which came after a visit from pitching coach Juan Nieves.

On Hanrahan’s first pitch to Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, Hanrahan bounced a slider for a wild pitch that allowed pinch-runner Alexi Casilla to score the tying run. Machado hit the next pitch out for a three-run home run.

The first non-sellout crowd in nearly 10 years (30,862), which already had endured a steady rain in the early innings and a 43-minute delay after five, did not spare Hanrahan’s feelings as he trudged off the mound, booing with gusto as manager John Farrell summoned lefty Andrew Miller to collect the last out Hanrahan was unable to deliver.

The Sox had taken a 5-3 lead in the sixth on back-to-back home runs by Daniel Nava, his third in three games, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a blast over the visitors’ bullpen for his first of the season.

Three Sox relievers -- Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa and Andrew Bailey -- had combined for three hitless innings, striking out five.

The Orioles had scored three times in the first five innings, two runs resulting from errors by outfielders Shane Victorino and Jackie Bradley Jr. Victorino’s error could just as easily have been charged to Jacoby Ellsbury, who converged on Victorino as he was settling under Machado’s fly ball in the first. Victorino ducked, Ellsbury didn’t make the catch, and McLouth scored from first on the misplay. Machado then scored on an infield out.

BOSTON -- Former Red Sox player Jerry Remy, who has morphed into a New England icon since becoming the team’s TV color analyst in 1988, revealed in an interview aired on the team’s regional sports network that he had a recurrence of lung cancer this past January.

During Wednesday’s rain delay, Remy said a tumor was discovered in a different spot than the original tumor, which required surgery that involved the removal of what he estimated was a third of his lung.

This time, Remy said, he did not need surgery, but flew back from spring training in March for four days of radiation treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital. “I had treatments on a Tuesday through Friday, flew back Saturday and did a game Sunday,’’ Remy said.

Since he was originally diagnosed with cancer, Remy has gone for regular CT scans every six months. He said doctors have closely monitored one suspicious area almost from the beginning, but biopsies have been negative. That was not the case this past January.

“When I went in it had grown a little,’’ Remy said. “They biopsied it again and this time it came up positive.’’

Remy said his condition will require more frequent checkups, every three to six months, but he said he was confident that, as in the first instance, doctors discovered the tumor early before the cancer had had a chance to spread.

“I told fans I’d be honest with them,’’ he said Wednesday night. “Stories come out every time I miss a game, ‘He’s got this and got that.’ Last year when I missed games I was just sick. It had nothing to do with cancer.

“So I said I’d be honest, and I’m being honest. I go along with my daily life, do what I do, and keep an eye on it every three to six months.’’

Remy said the doctors are not in a position to give him a long-range prognosis.

“They can’t give you an answer,’’ he said. “They really don’t know. You just go every six months, hope nothing changed.

“I don’t think you ever forget you have cancer. It doesn’t keep me up every night. I wish I didn’t have it, but I feel very fortunate the doctors I have have been on top of it and get it before it spreads.’’

Remy, a long-time smoker, was asked if he continues to smoke.

“I’m like Obama,’’ he said. “I chew a lot of gum, and I cheat.’’

The Boston Red Sox's 794-game Fenway Park sellout streak came to an end Wednesday night, putting a bow on the longest run of consecutive full houses in baseball history. Here are a few interesting nuggets from the streak:

• What happened in the first game of the streak? The Red Sox beat the Rangers 12-3 on May 15, 2003. Pedro Martinez pitched six scoreless innings for the Red Sox, with eight strikeouts and no walks, despite playing with a sore groin. David Ortiz played first base that game as part of a first base/designated hitter platoon that included Kevin Millar, Shea Hillenbrand and Jeremy Giambi. Former Sox outfielder Carl Everett homered around the Pesky pole for Texas. When he came back out to right field, fans threw two baseballs in his direction and the Rangers pulled him from the game.

Ironically, before the game that day, Red Sox president Larry Lucchino downplayed the team’s low attendance numbers in early April.

"I think that's attributable to several things," he told the Herald. "One, we haven't played the Yankees at home yet. We played them in April last year. Then you've got the economy, the elongated winter, and the distraction of the Iraq War. But I think we're in much better position than most of the other franchises in baseball."

Little did he know his team was about to embark on a record run.

May 15, 2003 was also Josh Beckett’s 23rd birthday, though he was still three years away from appearing with the Red Sox.

• Most wins at home since May 15, 2003: Since the streak began, the Red Sox -- 486-308 over those 794 games -- have the second-best winning percentage at home (.612). The Yankees are first at .643.

• Red Sox pitching leaders during the streak: Tim Wakefield has the most wins at Fenway during the streak with 53 (about 10 percent of the home wins over that span). Beckett is second with 41. Former Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has the lowest ERA at Fenway (minimum 200 innings pitched) over that span at 2.52. Beckett has the most strikeouts with 551.

• Red Sox offensive leaders during the streak: Ortiz has the most hits (792), runs (490), homers (163) and RBIs (587) at Fenway since May 15, 2003.

• Red Sox vs. Yankees: The Sox were 45-47 against the Yankees at Fenway during the streak (46-49 in the Bronx).

• Number of walk-off Red Sox victories during the streak: 66

• Number of seats filled at Fenway during the streak: 29,067,339 (regular season only) -- which is more than twice the population of New England and pretty close to the current population of Venezuela.

• Number of no-hitters at Fenway during the streak: 2 (Jon Lester on May 19, 2008 and Clay Bucholz on Sept. 1, 2007)

• Price of beer and Fenway Franks in 2003 vs. now: In 2003, a 12-ounce beer was $5.25 and hot dogs were $3.50 apiece. In 2013 (at least in April, when reduced prices are in effect), a 12-ounce beer is $5 and Fenway Franks are two-for-$5.

• At the start of the streak in May 2003 …: Grady Little was the Red Sox skipper. … The Dropkick Murphys’ “Shipping Up To Boston” had not yet been released. … Jackie Bradley Jr. (13) and Will Middlebrooks (14) weren’t even in high school yet. … John Farrell was director of player development for the Indians. … Aaron Boone still hadn’t been traded to the Yankees. … Barack Obama was a state senator who had recently announced plans to run for U.S. Senate. … Eight current MLB ballparks hadn’t opened yet.

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox customarily announce a game's attendance in the press box, usually in the seventh inning or beyond. For 820 consecutive games, the announced attendance was followed by the word "sellout."

On Wednesday night, anticipating the inevitable, the Red Sox issued a news release announcing their record streak of sellouts -- 820 (794 regular-season games and an additional 26 in the postseason) -- was ending.

Both the regular-season and overall streaks were the longest in major professional sports.

The previous record in Major League Baseball was 455 by the Cleveland Indians from 1995 to 2001, when they won six consecutive division titles and two American League pennants. The Red Sox surpassed that total on Sept. 8, 2008.

The longest overall streak in major sports was formerly held by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers at 814 games.

The Red Sox's streak attracted a fair amount of ridicule last season, when there were many nights the ballpark was not full, but the Red Sox maintained they had sold enough seats to satisfy the sellout criteria.

According to the Red Sox, the club averaged 36,605 tickets sold per game during the streak. Fenway Park's seating capacity was only 34,807 in 2003 when the streak began.

The Red Sox's statement contained comments from principal owner John W. Henry, chairman Tom Werner and CEO Larry Lucchino, a driving force behind the streak.

"The streak is a reflection of a phenomenal period of baseball in Boston and of America's greatest ballpark," Henry said. "But more than that, it is a testament to the baseball passion of New England fans. As we close the book on this incredible era, we look forward to another with a renewed certainty that the next couple of generations of Red Sox fans will also be enjoying baseball at the ever magical Fenway Park."

Added Werner: "We have all experienced a wonderful combination of compelling baseball, a revitalized ballpark, and an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality. I'd like to thank publicly our players, coaches, managers, our architects, our designers and construction workers, and our front office and day of game ballpark staff. Their work, together, connected with Red Sox Nation -- passionate fans who helped take this team and this park to these heights. It is these fans to whom we are most grateful."

Said Lucchino: "We are proud of this historic achievement. Over the past ten years, more than 30 million, many among the most sophisticated baseball fans in America, have purchased tickets to see games at Fenway Park. Never in that period was there a crowd less than 32,000. No other club in Major League Baseball can make that statement. That speaks volumes about the constancy and dedication of New England baseball fans."

BOSTON—Stephen Drew said he had had a concussion before, while playing high school football back home in Georgia, but the symptoms he experienced were nothing like the ones he began to feel after being struck in the batting helmet by a pitch thrown by Minnesota left-hander Caleb Thielbar.
Wednesday afternoon, 34 days after being hit, Drew was in a Red Sox uniform for the first time this season, activated from the 7-day disabled list created for players with concussive symptoms and batting eighth against Baltimore right-hander Jake Arrieta.

The Sox optioned Jose Iglesias to Pawtucket to make room for Drew.

“I don’t feel no symptoms no more,’’ Drew said. “Two weeks ago they were still there. Just trying to get over the spin feel, being a little lethargic, tired, stuff like that.

“It’s a good feeling to be back. It was kind of a long process because I didn’t know when I would be back.’’

The Sox also announced that pitcher John Lackey had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right biceps. The Sox juggled their rotation slightly, pushing back Felix Doubront to Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays while having Lackey’s replacement, Alfredo Aceves, pitch the series finale Thursday against the Orioles.

A factor in the decision to pitch Aceves was to keep switch-hitting Orioles catcher Matt Wieters hitting from the left side. Aceves also has pitched well in his career against the Orioles, with a 5-2 record and 2.31 ERA in 25 games. His only start against the Orioles came in 2008, when he was with the Yankees and went six scoreless innings.

“[Lackey] came in and got treatment, went through some light throwing, the biceps still had some stiffness to it,’’ manager John Farrell said. “So, not knowing how many days he’ll need to have that irritation completely resolved, we thought it was in his best interests to put him on the DL, let him recover at his own rate and not have him feel like he’s up against the calendar, forcing things to get back on the mound. His health and well-being are first and foremost.’’

Lackey went on the DL retroactive to Sunday, the day after he walked off the mound in the fifth inning, clutching his right arm after throwing a pitch to Jose Reyes of the Blue Jays. Lackey was making his first start since undergoing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery on Nov. 1, 2011. He is eligible to come off the DL April 22.

“It’s going to depend when he can get back on the mound, first and foremost,’’ Farrell said. “Once he’s able to test it at nearly normal game speed, one thing we have to be sure of is when John goes to the mound again he’s not wondering if this is going to irritate again, how it holds up. We’re going to have to test it in earnest before we activate it.’’

Reliever Alex Wilson was recalled from Pawtucket to take Lackey’s spot on the roster.

Drew had remained in the March 7 game for another inning after being hit by the pitch, but said he began experiencing symptoms upon returning to his rented spring home in Fort Myers.

The Red Sox were sufficiently concerned that nearly two weeks later, they sent Drew to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Sports Medicine Concussion Program, where he saw neuropsychologist Dr. Micky Collins, who serves as clinical consultant for Major League Baseball on concussion injuries.

“I thought [initially] I was fine,’’ Drew said, “but I knew something wasn’t right that night. Gosh, now it’s been a month now. I’m glad to be back. The procedures I went through are there for a reason; they’re there to protect us.’’

Red Sox manager John Farrell said he informed Iglesias on Tuesday, an off-day between Monday’s opener and Wednesday night’s game, that he would be returning to the PawSox. That was a foregone conclusion after Farrell reiterated over the weekend in Toronto that Drew was not going to lose his starting position because of an injury.

“To his credit, he handled it very professionally,’’ Farrell said. “I’m sure there was some disappointment in there. He did everything we could have hoped and he played exceptionally well for us. He goes back to Pawtucket, I’m sure, with an increased level of confidence. And probably, in his mind, he’s a major league player.’’

The Red Sox signed Drew as a free agent last winter to a one-year, $9.5 million contract to be their everyday shortstop, GM Ben Cherington declaring that the job was his the day his signing was announced. That came as a blow to Iglesias, who thought the trade of Mike Aviles to Toronto [for Farrell] had opened up an opportunity to claim the job.

But he came to camp 11 pounds heavier, noticeably stronger, and had a good spring, batting .294 (20 for 68) with 7 extra-base hits, and playing his usual superb defense. He also played well in the first week of the regular season, collecting three hits in the opener and batting .450 (9 for 20) with 2 doubles, despite missing a game and a half after being hit by a pitch Friday night in the throwing elbow.

“As we stated in spring training, upon Stephen’s recovery we were going to insert him back as our starting shortstop and we didn’t deviate from that, even though Jose was playing as well as he was and swinging the bat as well as he was. I’m sure there’s some frustration on Jose’s part, but he handled it professionally.’’

Drew played four games on a rehab assignment in Double-A Portland, hitting a home run in his final game there, and pronounced himself ready.

“We’ll find out starting about 7:10,’’ Farrell said. “In Portland he showed well. Solid contact at the plate. His actions are so efficient, whether it’s [at bat] or his movements in the field, we feel like he’ll be back in the timing of things relatively quick.’’

What does Farrell hope of Iglesias in Pawtucket?

“To go about his work every day with the same approach he had here,’’ Farrell said. “That’s the only thing he can really control. The sooner he can get past maybe any frustration that might be in there the better.

“When I say that, I’m not saying he showed any negativity about what took place but I can fully understand a player’s feeling when he performed so well, he gets sent out. But at Pawtucket, just maintain the very consistent strong work ethic he showed here.’’

BOSTON -- The last time David Ortiz played in the minor leagues was nearly five years ago, when he went to Triple-A Pawtucket in 2008 on a rehab assignment. He had been on the disabled list with a partially torn sheath in his left wrist, which would cause him to miss 45 games.

Ortiz needed exactly three games to decide he was ready to return to Boston, hitting home runs in each of the three games and deciding that 12 plate appearances was enough. So while Red Sox manager John Farrell said the club expects Ortiz to need 20 to 30 plate appearances on a new rehab assignment that begins Thursday night in Pawtucket, they’re leaving the timetable entirely in Ortiz’s hands.

“His return date to us is still uncertain at this point,’’ Farrell said before Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. “That’s going to depend on David and how comfortable he feels in the box with his timing.

“We will assume somewhere in the 20- to 30 at-bat range would be expected that he’ll need."

Ortiz played in a simulated game Monday in Fort Myers, Fla., and an extended spring training game Tuesday, and reported no issues with the strained right Achilles tendon that so far has cost him 11 weeks of playing time -- the last 10 weeks of the 2012 season, in which he came off the DL, played one game, and then shut it down for the season, and the first week of this season. By late Wednesday afternoon, he was headed north for Pawtucket's home opener Thursday night.

Ortiz originally was scheduled to play in Florida on Wednesday (in fact, Farrell said before Wednesday night's game in Boston that Ortiz played in Florida), but he was not at JetBlue Park, according to ESPNBoston.com correspondent Rick Weber.

Ortiz had come into camp expressing a desire to be ready for Opening Day, but it quickly became apparent that wasn’t going to happen, as Ortiz did not participate in any exhibition games and at one point in early March shut down all activity for more than a week because of continuing discomfort. Not only was his right foot still troublesome, but he also developed some pain in his left heel, the result, the Sox said, of the ramped-up activity after being unable to do any running during the winter.

“More than anything," Farrell said, “the last four, five days he seemingly turned the corner. More aggressive running the bases, the way he feels at the plate. He’s in a pretty good place, all things considered."

Ortiz’s arrival Thursday in Pawtucket is a happy coincidence for the PawSox, who play their home opener that night. If the Red Sox timetable of 20 to 30 at-bats holds true, Ortiz would be on track to be activated April 19, when the Sox return home to face the Kansas City Royals.

But stay tuned: Perhaps Ortiz will derive extra motivation from the possibility of facing former manager Terry Francona in Cleveland, where the Sox play three games beginning next Tuesday, and pronounce himself ready.

The Boston Red Sox on Wednesday placed pitcher John Lackey on the disabled list with a right biceps strain and, as expected, activated shortstop Stephen Drew, optioning 23-year-old Jose Iglesias to Triple-A Pawtucket to clear a spot.

The Lackey move was made retroactively to April 7, meaning he can return anytime after April 22. The Red Sox recalled right-handed reliever Alex Wilson from Pawtucket to take his place on the roster. Lackey left his first start after Tommy John surgery with the strained biceps Saturday in Toronto. A subsequent MRI revealed no tear, which greatly reduced the time the 34-year-old Lackey will be on the shelf.

Alfredo Aceves will start Thursday in what would have been Lackey’s spot, moving Felix Doubront to Friday and setting up Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz to start over the weekend on regular rest.

The 30-year-old Drew is set to make his Red Sox debut Wednesday night. Signed in the offseason, Drew suffered a concussion on March 7 after being hit on the helmet with a pitch and was placed on the 7-day DL. He is coming off a four-game rehab assignment with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, during which he was 2-for-13 (.154) with a double and a homer.

Iglesias was hitting .450 (9-for-20) for the Red Sox so far this season and has played impeccable defense at shortstop. The Red Sox have been adamant all along that Drew’s starting spot was not in jeopardy.

Designated hitter David Ortiz told ESPNBoston.com that his short rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket will begin Thursday, marking another step in his long and winding road back to the Red Sox lineup.

Ortiz played in a simulated game Monday in Fort Myers, Fla., an extended spring training game Tuesday and was supposed to play again Wednesday. Instead, that plan was scrapped and by Wednesday afternoon Ortiz was headed north for Pawtucket's home opener Thursday night.

The 37-year-old Ortiz has told manager John Farrell that he would feel comfortable returning to Boston after 25 to 30 at-bats for Pawtucket, which puts him on track to potentially rejoin the Red Sox for their April 19-21 series against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park.

Ortiz has missed all but one game since injuring his Achilles last July. He began spring training on track to begin the season with the Red Sox, but soreness in his heel kept him out of Grapefruit League action and delayed his return.

If he returns by the 19th, he will have missed the first 18 days of the season. Ortiz has a clause in his contract that increases his 2014 salary from $11 million to $13-15 million depending on how many games he misses due to the Achilles injury. Ortiz will reportedly make the full $15 million next season if he spends 20 or fewer days on the disabled list due to the injury. He is making $14 million this season regardless of the number of days he’s sidelined.

Before being sidelined with the Achilles injury last season, Ortiz was putting up monster numbers. Through 90 games, he had 23 homers, 60 RBIs, a .318 batting average and a 1.026 OPS.

The Boston Red Sox on Wednesday announced that Alfredo Aceves will start Thursday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, likely pushing Felix Doubront to Friday night and skipping John Lackey, who suffered a strained biceps over the weekend.

The Red Sox had been in wait-and-see mode on Lackey after an MRI did not reveal a tear in the right biceps. A trip to the disabled list has not been ruled out, but Lackey could also return as early as Sunday.

If Lackey doesn’t pitch Sunday, the ball would go to Clay Buchholz, who would be on normal rest. Jon Lester is likely to start on Saturday, also on normal rest, but that has not been made official.

Lackey is coming off Tommy John surgery on his elbow. This injury is not believed to be related.

With Stephen Drew expected to be activated on Wednesday, we pose the question: Should he be given the shortstop job or should the Sox stick with Jose Iglesias, always a defensive whiz but a pleasant surprise at the plate in the early going? ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes and Tony Lee take sides.

CLICK HERE to read their debate and cast your vote.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The sign at JetBlue Park has an arrow pointing in the direction of Boston, with these words: 1,456 MILES.

It seems like a long way, but Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is a little bit closer after another day in his continuing rehab -- his first extended spring training game.

Under a blistering sun Tuesday afternoon, Ortiz went 1-for-5 while batting second in each of the first five innings against three different Orioles pitchers in front of about 40 fans on Field No. 5. He even wore his familiar No. 34 jersey -- a day after donning a nameless No. 77.

“He’s looking more comfortable,” said Class A Lowell hitting coach Noah Hall, who has worked with Ortiz for the past two days. “It seems like he’s hitting a better groove. He hit the ball hard three times in five at-bats. He’s making good progress. It’s only the second day. His hands are looking quick. He looked like he was ready to hit the fastball.”

But there’s one other thing Hall has seen from Ortiz. One of the greatest players in the team’s history is doing his work far from the glamour of Fenway Park -- and playing with and against mostly obscure players who still treasure sending their parents photos of themselves in action -- but he’s showing everybody what it takes to be a superstar.

“It’s been impressive,” Hall said. “I’ve worked with him the last two days in the cage. I know the work he’s done there and in the games. What I’ve found is that he’s on every swing. He’s a serious student of the game. It’s no surprise he’s as good as he is. Every swing has a plan behind it. I’m really impressed with his approach, even the cage work.

“And yesterday, how hard he was running was great to see. It lets the younger players know, ‘This is Big Papi. He’s not known for his speed, but he’s busting his butt.’ There are no excuses for younger guys not to get after it. Papi’s far from Boston, but he’s respecting the game.”

Ortiz is recovering from a tear in his right Achilles’ tendon and did not play in any spring training games. He reported to Florida expecting to participate in full workouts, but he experienced inflammation in both heels and was shut down on March 10.

In his first two at-bats Tuesday -- both against 26-year-old right-handed knuckleballer Zach Staniewicz -- Ortiz reached first on an error by second baseman Tucker Nathans and was retired on a hard grounder to first that advanced a runner to second.

Those were fascinating duels: Papi vs. the Niekro protege. Staniewicz pitched in independent leagues three years ago, but has never done it in the minor leagues. He worked with Hall of Famer Phil Niekro in 2011 and was told that he had to make the knuckler his only pitch.

After Staniewicz joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve and played for the U.S. Military All-Stars, his coach, Terry Allvord, called a buddy, former Red Sox general manager and current Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, to set up a tryout. Duquette ended up signing Staniewicz to a minor-league deal last summer without a tryout. He worked with Niekro during spring training as the only knuckleballer in the Orioles’ system.

Hall said Ortiz hadn’t taken a swing at a knuckleball all spring.

“It was obviously good for him, especially since R.A. Dickey is in our division, although no two knuckleballers are exactly the same,” Hall said. “He was fine. He didn’t complain, ‘Why am I facing this guy?’ When it comes to Papi, he’s ready to hit anyone who’s throwing to him. He has a lot of confidence.”

Ortiz faced 19-year-old right-hander Sean McAdams, the Orioles' 14th-round selection in the 2012 first-year player draft, in his third and fourth at-bats, hitting a hard grounder to first for an unassisted putout and then striking out while attempting to check his swing on a slider in the dirt.

In his final at-bat, he ripped a line-drive single to right-center on a 1-1 fastball from 19-year-old Luc Rennie, a 16th-round pick last summer by the Orioles.

“On that strikeout, he (Ortiz) obviously hadn’t seen that guy before, and it was the first time he had seen that pitch in that at-bat,” Hall said. “It was the only at-bat he didn’t have a quality at-bat -- (which is) any time you make good contact or do your job in situational hitting. In his first at-bat, he moved the runner over, which is a good example of a professional hitter. It was a good example for our young guys: Even Big Papi plays the game right. He wasn’t trying to hit a home run.”

After his fifth at-bat, Ortiz rode off the field in a golf cart that went behind the outfield fence and into a restricted area that led to the clubhouse, avoiding the autograph seekers. His day was done at 2:18 p.m.

That part of the day was a disappointment to Mary Ellen Porter, a West Hartford, Conn., resident who left her Fort Myers condo and came to the game “just to be close” to Ortiz. But she still left satisfied.

“Some solid hitting,” she said, “but I think he can do a whole lot better in Boston. I think he’ll be going out of the park. Forget about all those dribblers.”

Ortiz is expected to play in another game Wednesday, then is likely to be sent on a rehab assignment, provided he does not have any setbacks. He is on schedule to play in Triple-A Pawtucket’s home opener Thursday and could rejoin the Red Sox for their April 19-21 series against the Royals at Fenway Park.

Ortiz has told manager John Farrell that he would feel comfortable returning to Boston after 25 to 30 at-bats for Pawtucket.

* Pitcher Franklin Morales, who pitched only one inning in spring training (Feb. 27) due to a back injury, made quick work of the Orioles in the first inning.

Morales, who is being stretched out as a starter but also could return in the bullpen, threw strikes on 10 of his 15 pitches, forcing a ground out to short, a broken-bat grounder to first and a grounder to second. Red Sox coaches requested another batter, and Morales gave up a single to left.

“I feel good,” he said. “My command’s good, pitches good. I located my pitches. It was the first time I see these guys, so that’s good. I tried to throw strikes and pitch to contact. I’m ready. My back felt great. I worked out with the trainer, and right now, I feel normal.”

The plan for Morales is to build him up to the point where he makes three-inning appearances. His next scheduled appearance is Friday.

Greetings from the Edes cave, and a few random thoughts on the day after an enormously satisfying home opener for the Red Sox:

* Yes, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have earned praise for the way they have pitched through the first week of the season -- a combined 4-0 record and 1.04 ERA through two turns apiece. But it should be noted that Lester pitched very well in his first two starts last season, too, holding the powerful Tigers to a run in seven innings in a no-decision against Detroit’s Justin Verlander, then following with an eight-inning, three-run effort in a 3-1 loss to Ricky Romero and the Blue Jays.

* As for Buchholz, he has allowed better than a baserunner an inning (15 baserunners, 14 innings) in his first two starts, and only one has scored. Last year, Matt Wieters' blast to right in the second inning Monday would have carried into the seats, and Buchholz would have hung a curve to Adam Jones with two on in the third inning, instead of dropping in a beauty for a called third strike. Every mistake he made in the season’s first month last season, he seemingly paid for dearly, and while he may have been a little tentative because he was coming back from a stress fracture in his back, his stuff was still pretty good.

* No Sox team has ever opened the season with seven consecutive errorless games. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia bobbled a double-play ball Monday on the transfer, then juggled another DP ground ball but salvaged an out both times. You may not see him mishandle two balls in the same game the rest of the season.

* The biggest difference on the field between this team and last year’s version is the bullpen. Bobby Valentine went into the year essentially auditioning Alfredo Aceves as his closer and quickly showed how little confidence he had in Mark Melancon by yanking him in the ninth inning of a tie game after a couple of soft hits and bringing in Aceves, who gave up the game-winner.

Farrell has so far managed his bullpen masterfully and has the luxury of multiple power arms to call upon -- Joel Hanrahan, Andrew Bailey, Junichi Tazawa and Andrew Miller -- and a split-fingered marvel in Koji Uehara. Bailey, fully healthy, and Hanrahan give Farrell two legitimate closers, though the ninth inning clearly belongs to Hanrahan. Take away two bad outings by Alfredo Aceves, neither of which affected the outcome, and the pen has allowed just 4 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings, a 2.20 ERA.

The bullpen has yet to give back a single lead in seven games. Last season, the Sox lost nine games in which they led entering the eighth innings, eight games in which they led entering the ninth, and 10 games out of 12 that went to extra innings. Contrast that to the Orioles, who were 74-0 in games they held a lead entering the eighth, 75-1 in games they led entering the ninth, and 16-2 in extra-inning games.

* Hanrahan, by the way, has thrown 16 pitches in each of his last two appearances for the Sox, both of which have ended in saves. He threw all fastballs in Friday night’s 6-4 win over the Jays. He mixed in four sliders on Monday against the Orioles, and his velocity topped out at 99.77 miles an hour, according to brooksbaseball.net. Adam Jones led off the inning with a home run off a fastball a hair under 98 miles an hour on the outer half, belt-high. J.J. Hardy hit a slider that was middle in for a double.

* Yes, there is clearly a different vibe with this team, particularly in its endorsement of Farrell and the way he wants to play the game. But again, for all the unnecessary distractions created by Farrell’s predecessor, the Sox on July 1 had a record of 42-37 and were a half-game out of a wild-card spot. That’s just short of half the season. For all the good feeling surrounding this club, let’s see where it stands at the midway point.

* And after one week of play, a small sample size to be sure, Carl Crawford is batting .450 with 9 hits, including 2 doubles, has stolen 2 bases and has scored 5 runs in 6 games, while Adrian Gonzalez is batting .400 with 5 RBIs and an OPS of 1.000, which is .050 lower than Crawford’s. Josh Beckett is 0-1 but made a quality start (6 IP, 3 ER) and Nick Punto, off the bench, is batting .600 (3 for 5).

BOSTON -- The first man Clay Buchholz faced Monday afternoon against Baltimore singled to center. The fourth flied to the warning track in right, the fifth walked and the sixth also took right fielder Shane Victorino to the wall. There were two more singles by Orioles hitters in the third.

It was not a stretch to wonder if Buchholz was going to have much success on the afternoon. Those worries are based largely on the fact that 2012 is still fresh in the minds of many in Red Sox land. However, Buchholz and the team as a whole are in a very, very different place.

Despite some bumps along the way, Buchholz finished with seven scoreless innings in a 3-1 win to improve to 2-0 and drop his ERA to 0.64. He and Jon Lester have combined to allow three runs in 26 innings this season, including 17 scoreless frames in a row.

"Anytime you get that kind of starting pitching it's going to give us a chance to win some games late," manager John Farrell said of Buchholz and Lester after the 3-1 victory. "Those two guys, particularly, are throwing the ball well."

The 2010 Red Sox season will largely be remembered as the one that saw several significant players suffer serious injuries. Buchholz and Lester were the mainstays and the real reason the team remained somewhat relevant into September. Both finished in the top six in the Cy Young Award voting while presumed staff leader Josh Beckett languished through a miserable campaign. But due to injuries or ineffectiveness, that two-headed monster had gone into hibernation. Perhaps it is back, and with it the chance for the Red Sox to do some special things this season. A shutdown bullpen and a near perfect defense (the Sox entered the day as one of four teams in the majors yet to commit an error) certainly increase the likelihood of a winning formula on days when Buchholz and Lester take the mound.

Farrell made sure to temper any enthusiasm over his team's 5-2 start, noting that there is work to be done. Buchholz, to his credit, echoed that sentiment and focused on the negatives, a sure sign of someone intent on being there for the long haul.

"I didn't really have one thing that was working the whole day," Buchholz said. "Was up in the zone, couple of balls hit early that would've gotten out stayed in the park. Other than that it was sorta a grind there for a little bit."

What rescued Buchholz on Monday was his ability to get strikeouts in big spots. He insisted on pitching more to contact this year, but was able to bring a little extra when he needed it most on Monday. Buchholz recorded six of his eight K's via the fastball, including one to get Steve Pearce to finish the seventh with a man on second.

That was one of four strikeouts Buchholz used to end an inning. The other that caught Farrell's attention came in the third. After a pair of two-out singles gave the Orioles the game's first threat, Buchholz fell behind the dangerous Adam Jones. The two battled to a full count before Buchholz unleashed perhaps his best breaking ball of the afternoon, a doozy which froze Jones and unleashed the first real roar of the season from the fans at Fenway.

"You can't say enough for what Clay did for us," Farrell said.

Buchholz, whose ERA after two starts last year was 9.82, is the first Red Sox pitcher to go at least seven innings while allowing one run or none in each of his first two starts since Beckett in 2006.

That's all well and good. Now comes the hard part. Not only do Buchholz and Lester have work to do to maintain this early dominance, but the rest of the rotation has to do its best to follow suit. It is no coincidence that Boston is 4-0 in games started by Buchholz and Lester and 1-2 in all others.

"They're extremely important to us," Farrell said of the twin aces, "but I don't want to take anything away from everybody else. We're going to go as far as our rotation takes us."

Farrell caught himself, making sure to circle back around and take more stock of what his two star righties have done thus far.

"To have two guys at the front end of it starting the season as they are, as consistent as they are, it's a very good tone," he said. "We're very well aware that we're only seven games into this, but it's great to see them go out and really take control of the tempo of the game."

Even when they don't have their best stuff.