Hit on elbow, Loretta is day-to-day

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Red Sox can ill afford another injury, but that's what they got when All-Star second baseman Mark Loretta was hit on his left elbow by a Luke Hudson fastball in the fifth inning of last night's 6-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Manager Terry Francona said Loretta felt numbness in two fingers and went for precautionary X-rays, which came back negative.

The injury was being characterized as a bruise and the medical staff termed Loretta ``day-to-day," but that carries with it a sense of uncertainty in the wake of recent injuries to Mike Lowell (bruised foot) and Doug Mirabelli (twisted ankle). Lowell returned to the lineup last night after a three-game absence and went 1 for 3 with a walk, while Mirabelli took batting practice and could be back as soon as tomorrow.

Loretta was wincing in pain after he was hit and required the trainers to treat him. He was able to stay in and run the bases, but in the bottom of the inning, Alex Cora came in to play second base.

Pitching coach Dave Wallace was in uniform last night and resumed his duties on a full-time basis for the first time since recovering from hip replacement surgery in June. Al Nipper, who has been the interim pitching coach while Wallace dealt with complications from an infection in his hip, will work in conjunction with Wallace and behind the scenes, according to Francona.

Francona acknowledged that both coaches will have to put some ego aside, but said the arrangement should benefit the pitching staff. Francona said Nipper would continue to run some of the pitching meetings and work with pitchers on their side sessions, but that Wallace would listen in and offer his expertise.

Francona was at a loss to come up with a new title for Nipper. He was originally hired as bullpen coach but moved seamlessly into Wallace's job in spring training.

Francona wants to keep Nipper on the bench and in uniform, but major league rules allow only six uniformed coaches on the bench. But as long as the opposing team doesn't object, it may not be an issue. ``We're going to determine that a little to see what the league allows us to do," said Francona. Neither Wallace nor Nipper foresaw problems with the arrangement. Both had a voice in yesterday's pitchers' meeting.

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who played on the Kauffman Stadium infield for the first time last night, had some interesting things to say about his time so far in the American League, particularly from a defensive point of view.

``There are a lot more better infields in the American League than the National League," said Gonzalez. ``In the National League, there were maybe two or three good ones. There was San Diego, Arizona, and the Dodgers were the best. The one we had in Miami was terrible. Washington wasn't very good. The Mets' wasn't that good."

Gonzalez said he has no complaints about the Fenway infield, which Edgar Renteria thought was awful.

``The only thing I've told the groundskeeper is to keep it wet," said Gonzalez. ``He's done that, and it's been just fine. At Fenway and in the American League, the grass is a little bit higher and that makes a lot of difference as far as making the backhand play in the hole. In the National League, especially in some of those places where they start playing football and soccer, they cut the grass low and the ball acts like it's on turf, it gets through so fast.

``I really enjoy this league. I'm seeing better pitches to hit because there's no pitcher hitting behind me. I've always known I could hit, but this league has helped me out quite a bit."

David Ortiz's 41st home run of the season -- which was also his 1,000th career hit -- came in the Red Sox' 111th game. When Jimmie Foxx set the team record of 50 in 1938, he hit Nos. 41 and 42 in Game 128 . . . Six catchers have started for the Red Sox this season: Mirabelli, Josh Bard, Ken Huckaby, Javy Lopez, Corky Miller, and Jason Varitek. That's the most since the Sox used seven in 1951: Les Moss, Buddy Rosar, Aaron Robinson, Mike Guerra, Matt Batts, Al Evans, and Sammy White. The stat is courtesy of Rod Oreste of the Sox staff . . . Lopez ended an 0-for-15 skid with a fourth-inning single. He also doubled to the left-field corner in the eighth . . . Huckaby was outrighted to Pawtucket after clearing waivers, and accepted the assignment . . . Keith Foulke pitched a scoreless seventh inning -- albeit with a hit, two walks, and a strikeout -- in Pawtucket's 1-0 loss at Rochester. He is scheduled to pitch another inning today for the PawSox and rejoin the Red Sox Friday . . . Francona said Tim Wakefield threw from 120 feet yesterday and is at least two weeks away from being in line to be considered to get back to pitching full-time. ``Of course, he wants to pitch tomorrow," said Francona kiddingly.

The Royals finally got Mike Sweeney back in the lineup last night. Sweeney suffered a back injury May 1 and had been sidelined since then. He would have been a major trade piece for the Royals at the deadline had he been healthy, and he still could go in a waiver-wire deal once he shows he's injury-free. He went 1 for 3 with a single, two walks, and a run last night . . . The Royals switched the order for their starters in the final two games of the series, going with Mark Redman tonight against Josh Beckett and Jorge De La Rosa tomorrow vs. Curt Schilling . . . With the Tigers agreeing to terms (a reported $5.4 million) with their top pick, Andrew Miller, a lefthander from North Carolina, and Southern Cal righty Ian Kennedy agreeing to a $2.25 million deal with the Yankees, that leaves Missouri righthander Max Scherzer (11th overall, to Arizona) and North Carolina righty Daniel Bard, the 28th selection overall by the Red Sox, as the only first-rounders from the June draft unsigned. Sox pitcher Kyle Snyder, a No. 1 pick of the Royals in 1999 out of North Carolina, said he made a special visit to the Cape Cod League to watch Bard pitch last year. Snyder said he hasn't spoken to Bard about negotiations with the Sox, but if he were to, his advice would be, ``Sign the deal. It's a great opportunity as a first-round pick to play with the Boston Red Sox. I think there are enough examples around here [pointing to Craig Hansen's locker] of how this organization gives you a chance to show what you can do pretty quickly."