Youkilis out again

Kevin Youkilis is out of the lineup for the second straight game with an aching back, and Mark Kotsay will start at first base today against Baltimore.

Dustin Pedroia will again hit in Youkilis's customary cleanup spot.

"Not as good as we'd hoped," Terry Francona said when asked about Youkilis's back. "He's here but he's not going to play."

Kotsay, primarily a center fielder throughout his career, has played 28 games at first base in his 12-year big-league seasons. His most recent experience at the position came in 2006, when he played four games there while a member of the Oakland A's. He made two errors in 30 chances for a .933 fielding percentage.

"His actions are good," Francona said of Kotsay. "He just hasn't been out there very much. You don't want to put somebody in a position where they make an error because of, not inexperience, but he hasn't been out there a long time. But his actions are fine. I think he'll be OK. You worry when you send someone out there who hasn't played there that much, because you don't want them to do something they wouldn't normally do. But he has no problems with this."

Francona was asked about putting smooth-fielding first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz at second base for one game in 2004, and whether that situation was comparable to playing Kotsay at first. "This isn't like that," Francona said. "My heart was in my throat that night. That was a tough one."

Mientkiewicz helped record a double play that game, and Francona said he might have been the only player on the roster who could have made the turn.

* Francona said Mike Lowell (oblique) and Sean Casey (neck) could play Friday against Texas. Lowell has not played since Aug. 11, while Casey's last appearance was Aug. 19.

* The Sox are expected to tie Cleveland's record of 455 consecutive home sellouts today. "I've not seen anything but sellouts since I've been here," Francona said. "Think about that. That is unbelievable. It's the norm. And I hope we don't ever get to the point where we take it for granted. I know the organization doesn't. We don't take it for granted. We have a great situation here right now. Our team is very popular. Fans just want to keep coming to the games. Hopefully that will last for a long time."