Quiet morning here at Camden Yards. The mood of the clubhouse didn’t feel different from any other day game following a night game. At least on the outside, the Sox don’t seem to be carrying around any residual effects from their collapse last night.

Jed Lowrie is headed back to Boston from Pawtucket to get his left knee, bruised and swollen because he was hit by a pitch last week, looked at by specialist Scott Waugh. The contusion continues to keep him off the field – he didn’t play in Pawtucket’s 12-0 loss last night – and stifle his rehab from left wrist surgery.

“It’s slowed his progress down, because he can’t play,” manager Terry Francona said.

Here’s something to keep in mind while Mike Lowell stays on the disabled list until after the All-Star break: Nick Green is a possibility to see some time at third, especially against lefthanded pitchers when Francona might want to sit first baseman-for-now Mark Kotsay.

“That could happen.” Francona said.

The thing is, Francona doesn’t want to take Green out at short because he’s playing awfully well there. Green made nine errors in his first 30 games at short, but Green has not made an error since June 3, perfect in his last 93 chances. He’s also made some of the most athletic defensive plays the Sox have seen this year. His confidence since becoming the everyday man at short has allowed his full athleticism to come out.

“He made some errors early on he felt like he shouldn’t have,” Francona said. Now, though, he knows he won’t come out if he makes an error, and that confidence allows him to plays ranging to his left and right and show off that powerful arm, which infield coach Tim Bogar called one of the best he has ever seen.