Lowell relieved Mientkiewicz will be OK

The first word Mike Lowell used to describe the replays of his left thigh hitting the head of Doug Mientkiewicz in Saturday's game?

Scary.

But, while watching the collision at first base after the fact wasn't exactly comfortable for Lowell, much more comforting was the word relayed to him through Red Sox internist Larry Ronan yesterday morning -- that Mientkiewicz, despite a mild concussion, cervical sprain, and fractured bone in his right wrist, was going to be fine.

"I've known Doug a long time, and I just feel bad that he's hurt," Lowell said before last night's 6-5 loss to the Yankees. "I don't think you want to hurt anyone in the game. I mean, you want to play hard, but I don't think you want anyone to get hurt.

"In the back of my mind I just wanted him to start moving because you don't want anything really serious to happen."

Lowell kept using the word "freak" to describe the situation, something that had occurred earlier in the season to him, when he was involved in a collision with Oakland's Mike Piazza, another hard but clean play that resulted in Piazza landing on the disabled list with a sprained shoulder.

"I've been in pro ball for 13 years and that's the only two times I've ever been in something where guys have gotten hurt," Lowell said before last night's 6-5 loss to the Yankees. "You don't wish anyone to get hurt in this game, but . . . there is contact in some parts. That's why there is a disabled list. Unfortunately, sometimes it is a freak thing like that."

As for his reaction to Robinson Cano's contention that Lowell's breakup of a double play was dirty?

"I took comfort in the fact that [Yankees manager Joe Torre] endorsed that it was a clean play," Lowell said. "Whatever Robinson may think -- and I love Robinson Cano, I think he's an absolutely fantastic player -- and he's entitled to his opinion, I have no problem with that.

"But the fact that the opposing manager felt like it was a clean play makes me feel like it was what it was.

Lowell added that, after giving a "love tap" to Toronto's Aaron Hill in a game earlier this season, Jays third base coach Brian Butterfield (who was with the Yankees when Lowell was) said, " 'You should have cleaned his clock.' So that's what I'm referring to."

Except, as Lowell maintained, the play involving Alex Rodriguez and Dustin Pedroia from two weeks ago -- that one's not kosher.

"I think there was extracurricular activities in that one," Lowell said. "You can break it up all you want, but once you deviate from your slide, I think there's different intent. Not everyone sees it that way."

After deciding his groin was too fatigued to start today against the White Sox, Roger Clemens appears to be preparing to start against the Pirates Saturday, according to what his agent, Randy Hendricks, told ESPN Radio.

It will be his first start of the season after signing with the Yankees.

Clemens is scheduled to undergo a precautionary MRI today in Tampa after the injury first cropped up in his last minor league start, for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Hidden in a response about Josh Beckett's improvement this season was an interesting comparison to Jonathan Papelbon. As manager Terry Francona was discussing Beckett's offseason plan, he said the team has to determine "what's too much throwing, what's not enough.

"It's the same thing with Pap. I laugh so hard when I hear people say, 'What's wrong with Pap?' Pap's not hurt. Pap's locating not quite yet like he did last year because we've cut back so much on his throwing that if it costs us a walk every once in a while, to me the trade-off's incredible. We really try to manage those types of things. Sometimes you have to give a little bit."

Papelbon, who took the loss last night when he gave up a ninth-inning home run to Rodriguez, has walked 10 in just 21 1/3 innings this season, after walking 13 in 68 1/3 innings in 2006.

The only time Johnny Damon played first base in the major leagues was last July 18 when the Yankees were playing Seattle. In the 10th inning, New York's lineup had been depleted by pinch hitters and pinch runners, and the club needed someone to fill in.

Last night, Damon said he expects to be tapped for the position again soon by manager Joe Torre because the Yankees' regular first baseman, Mientkiewicz, is out indefinitely with a concussion and fractured right wrist suffered Saturday. (Mientkiewicz was released from Massachusetts General Hospital yesterday.) Josh Phelps started at first in the series finale and went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

"Joe actually talked to me a few days ago [when it was learned designated hitter Jason Giambi would be out 3-6 weeks because of a foot injury]," said Damon. "Coming up, we're playing against National League teams, too. So [he said] to just be ready.

"I'm up to the challenge. The good thing is, looking over my right shoulder, I know I've got one of the game's best second basemen [Cano], who can cover a lot of ground. So I know those guys are going to help me out quite a bit."

J.D. Drew missed his second straight game with hamstring tendinitis. But Francona said Drew might be back in the lineup tonight in Oakland. "J.D.'s doing much better today," Francona said. "He went through a series of -- I don't want to say exercises -- but moving him around, heating him up. I think we're pretty hopeful that maybe he'll play right field tomorrow. That would really help us, get us into not just a couple big outfields but interleague play. I'm sure that six-hour plane flight will be great for him." . . . With pitching coach John Farrell attending his son's graduation yesterday, Red Sox minor league pitching coordinator Ralph Treuel filled in . . . Because yesterday's game against Norfolk was rained out, that bumps Jon Lester to today, where he'll start for Pawtucket in the first game of a doubleheader. Mike Timlin was also supposed to pitch yesterday as his rehab continues for right shoulder tendinitis. He likely will start the second game . . . The series loss was just the fourth for the Red Sox in 20 series this season. Two of those have come against the Yankees . . . Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a double in the fifth inning. His is the longest streak by a rookie this season, and the longest by a Red Sox rookie since Nomar Garciaparra's 30-game streak in 1997. He also matched a career high with three RBIs . . . Julio Lugo's stolen base brought him to 17 for 17 this season.

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.