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Sox looking to end three-game dip

It's a great night here weather-wise. Game time temperature was 71 degrees. Interesting pre-game with a race car driving around the foul territory around the ballpark with the Sox celebrating the Rousch Fenway Racing marriage.

I expected Mike Greenwell to pop out, but I guess he wasn't available.

It's 0-0 in the bottom of the third as I write this. David Ortiz has just hit a deep fly to center for the final out, stranding Dustin Pedroia at second base. Pedroia had reached on a double to right after right-fielder Marlon Byrd attempted a shoe-string catch and had the ball get by him.

You've noticed I'm sure that Julio Lugo is not in the lineup and resting and hoping to remedy his 0-for-31 slump. He spent the pre-game working with hitting coach Dave Magadan. Terry Francona said it wouldn't hurt for a player in a slump to spend a day or two on the pine, but that by no means have the Red Sox given up on him.

Francona said the team was in it for the long haul with Lugo. Truer words were never spoken - four years, $36 million. Alex Cora took his spot. Coco Crisp was also out of the lineup to give him one more day to recover from the left thumb bruise he suffered while attempting a diving catch over the weekend in Seattle.