Casey, Drew will see doctors today

In his first Boston at-bat, Mark Kotsay stroked a second-inning double. He wound up 1 for 4 and played right field for the first time since 2001. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - The tests seem to be multiplying. Not only will Josh Beckett see Dr. James Andrews - though the Red Sox would not specify what his tests might be - but Sean Casey and J.D. Drew also will visit doctors today.

Casey, who has had a stiff neck since hurting it Aug. 21 on the day off between trips to Baltimore and Toronto, will undergo an MRI to determine if the injury is more serious. The first baseman has not played since experiencing the problem, and while it felt better Tuesday and Casey proclaimed himself ready, he had a setback attempting to swing.

"It's getting there," Casey said. "I'm getting an MRI just to make sure I've got a good game plan about what's going on."

Casey said he had never suffered neck pain before this season. He had problems when the Sox went to Japan in March, then they recurred eight days ago. Casey said the pain is in approximately the same spot as in March, and he is not anticipating going on the disabled list.

"It gets better every day, but I can't get over that hump," he said. "I'm hoping I'll wake up one day and it's fine. Hopefully, it's soon. I just want to check it out, make sure everything's OK. It's more a precautionary thing than anything."

Drew returned to Boston yesterday after being put on the DL Tuesday so the Sox could activate Tim Wakefield. Drew has been suffering from spasms since injuring his back while backing up Jacoby Ellsbury in the outfield Aug. 17.

"There's a chance they might give him an epidural," manager Terry Francona said. "I think that they certainly want to see him in person. It's all set up where that can be done if they feel like it will help."

Good start by Kotsay
Mark Kotsay said he didn't sleep much Wednesday night. But that didn't prevent him from making good in his first start with the Red Sox.

The right fielder stroked a double to right in his first at-bat and he almost became a hero. With the game tied in the ninth inning, Kotsay slammed a pitch from Mariano Rivera to the warning track in right with Jason Bay aboard.

"I actually thought the ball he hit off of Mo was out when he hit it," Francona said. "From where I'm sitting, he got the good part of it, just dropped his hands a little bit. I thought it had a chance to go into the seats. A guy like that, though, we're not going to make or break our assessment on him in four at-bats with the Red Sox. Guy's been a good player for a long time. He's going to help us win some games."

Francona said before the game he would speak with Kotsay once the team returned to Boston. Though Francona won't use him at first base right away, Kotsay will take grounders there in the coming days. The Sox are shorthanded at the position with Casey out.

Kotsay hadn't played right since Sept. 30, 2001. His last start in right had been Oct. 1, 2000, though he played 113 games there for the Marlins that season.

Lowell eager
After Mike Lowell (oblique) hit some balls off a tee Wednesday, he was complaining yesterday about not playing. To Francona, that's a good sign. "The one thing with [an] oblique is you have to go slow because if you go too fast, the day you go too fast, you start all over," he said. "We can't let that happen." . . . Instant replay will be used at Fenway Park tonight. Francona said he's still figuring out how it will work. "It's not up to us [to get a replay], but I'm assuming if you scream loud enough . . ." Francona said, smiling. "They're not obligated because you go out there and yell. I think we're all probably going to feel our way through this a little bit. If you think they're wrong or you think there's a chance, you're going to go out and either ask or yell depending on your mood. Now there's some ability to go check." . . . Before Hideki Okajima allowed the two-run home run to Jason Giambi as inherited runner Cody Ransom scored, Jon Lester had not given up a run at Yankee Stadium. Lester had pitched 15 career scoreless innings in the Bronx . . . Giambi had been 1 for 6 with four strikeouts against Jonathan Papelbon before singling in the ninth to bring home the winning run . . . Beginning tonight, the Red Sox will play 20 of their final 29 games at Fenway.