Swinging into action

Mike Lowell, the Red Sox' new third baseman, showed up for the home opener eager to please. And eager to take a crack at the Green Monster.

It was his Fenway Park debut as a member of the Sox and Lowell, acquired last November from the Marlins, wanted to make a favorable first impression on the sellout crowd of 35,491.

It was never Lowell's intention, however, to win over the entire populace of Red Sox Nation in one fell swoop.

But he may have done so with four swings of his bat in yesterday's 5-3 triumph over the Blue Jays. Asked if that was the case, Lowell smiled and said, ''Well, I hope so. If I need to go more than 4 for 4, then I'm in trouble."

Lowell, who had three doubles and a single, added, ''But I think that's beside the point. I want to do good because I want to win, and I think we have a good team. I love the balance that our team has, from a pitching standpoint, from a defensive standpoint, and our offense. So that's what I'm happiest about."

Lowell, a righthanded pull hitter penciled in as the No. 7 hitter, ripped doubles into the left-field corner in his first two at-bats, the first scoring Trot Nixon as part of a four-run outburst in the second inning that erased a 1-0 deficit. After hitting a flare to right in the sixth for a single, Lowell wrapped up his stellar afternoon with another double to left in the eighth, matching his career highs for hits and doubles in a game.

''Any time you're in a new situation with a new team, I think it's only natural to try and show the type of player you are," Lowell said. ''It was a little slow in spring training, but at the end I felt good, so I'm just trying to stay consistent."

Still, when the Sox acquired Lowell, there were concerns about his subpar 2005 season with the Marlins, one in which he recorded personal lows in almost every hitting category, including a .236 batting average. His 118 hits, 8 home runs, and 58 RBIs represented a drastic decline in the 32-year-old infielder's productivity.

Josh Beckett, who came over in the trade with Lowell, offered in his teammate's defense, ''Mikey Lowell's a great player. He's one of the smartest players I've ever played with -- probably, the smartest player I've ever played with. He's going to be fine.

''Everybody's talking about last year, but what about the five years before that? I mean, are you going to tell me that that five years before that was a fluke, and last year was what he really is? You'll never convince me of that."

Certainly, yesterday's Fenway crowd would have a hard time believing Lowell is in the twilight of his career.

''I think he looked out and saw that wall, feels like he can reach it without his best bolt," Francona mused. ''I'm sure that is very reassuring to get rewarded, because he is a big, strong kid and he pulls the ball a lot. Watching him out of the box, he is running as fast as he can because he knows those are possibly either outs or singles."

But thrice yesterday Lowell legged out doubles.

''Anyone who's a pull hitter, righthanded, I mean, that wall might take away a few home runs, but it's going to give you some hits," Lowell said. ''I'd say my last one was probably an out in another park, so that wall plays a factor. It might take away a few home runs, but I think you can steal some hits."

Lowell may have stolen a hit or two in his Fenway debut, and he likely absconded with a few hearts from an admiring Red Sox Nation.

''It felt like when I was in the playoffs with the Marlins," Lowell said of the electric atmosphere. ''This feels like it might be 81 playoff games, just that energy. As a player, that's a good feeling. You don't prepare any differently, but you feel differently. It's a nice feeling when you've got such a passionate crowd, rooting for you as a team."