Francona: 'We didn't put in any running plays'

So they finally found a place where Red Sox nation is reduced to the size of a desert island in a sea of blue, in this case Dodger Blue. The dominant motif in the LA Coliseum was clearly blue, although an hour before first pitch acres of empty seats remained in the former home of the Dodgers. Lots of folks were outside the ballpark for the street festival that had been running since noon, and this being L.A., plenty of folks no doubt will arrive fashionably late.

The Sox and Dodgers walked through the Coliseum's magnificent arches shortly after 3 p.,m., then got their first look at the place where the Dodgers played from 1957 until Dodger Stadium opened in 1962.

Terry Francona said Manny Ramirez would not play tonight, his spot in left field taken by Bobby Kielty, and most regulars would get just an at-bat or two. Francona said he started Kielty in part because he went to USC, but Kielty, who redshirted as a freshman pitcher here before leaving for Riverside Junior College and finishing at the University of Mississippi, evidently wasn't that taken with the honor.

Former Dodger Alex Cora said he imagined what it must have been like to run track here during the Olympics--L.A. hosted the Games in both 1932 and '84. Francona, who went to a Pac-10 school (University of Arizona) said he'd never been here before, not even to watch his Wildcats get beat on by the Trojans. "We're not putting in any running plays,'' he said.

A smattering of celebrities were expected: FOJ (Friend of Joe Torre) Billy Crystal and his very tall escort for the evening, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Pamela Anderson; John Krasinski ("The Office") and rocker George Thorogood.

Here are the lineups:
Julio Lugo, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Coco Crisp, CF
Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
Bobby Kielty, LF
Kevin Cash, C

Tim Wakefield is pitching. Francona said, "I told Wake this is the Kentucky Derby. Bring out the horse, put on the blinders and don't see your surroundings.''

Dodgers:

Rafael Furcal, SS
Russell Martin, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Jeff Kent, 2B
Andruw Jones, CF
James Loney, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Juan Pierre, DH
Blake DeWitt, 3B

Esteban Loaiza is pitching.