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BOSTON -- The one thing the Red Sox don't need at this critical point in their season is another injury to a key player. Fortunately, the one that took Adrian Gonzalez out of Wednesday's game does not appear serious.Gonzalez, who left the Red Sox's 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays with left calf tightness, could return as early as Thursday night, when Boston opens a four-game series against the Rays."I afl football results hope so, yeah," Gonzalez said. "The calf tightened up on me pretty good. Hopefully I come in tomorrow feeling good."Gonzalez belted a solo shot, his 26th of the season, in the sixth. He felt it going around the bases and departed in the top of the seventh.David Ortiz has missed the last two games with back spasms. If he isn't ready to return by Thursday, perhaps Gonzalez can serve as the designate afl football results d hitter."It's a possibility," Gonzalez said. "We'll see what options there are." Weiland to kick off four-game series vs. Rays BOSTON -- When the Red Sox open a crucial four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night, September callup Kyle Weiland will be on the mound.Ideally, manager Terry Francona would have gone with one of his rotation mainstays, but that isn't possible give afl football results n the recent health woes by Boston's starters.As it is, Josh Beckett will return from a sprained right ankle Friday night. Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield will also pitch against Tampa Bay.There is still no timetable for when lefty Erik Bedard, who is dealing with a strained left lat muscle, will be able to return.Why Weiland instead of Andrew Miller, who has been shaky of late?"I think we felt [we'd afl football results go] with the righty against them," said Francona. "And he had a real good side [session], a real good bullpen. I just think that the other day down in [St. Petersburg], that was pretty tough circumstances for him. It could have gone way against him, and he got through his first inning. We just think he can rise to the occasion and give us a chance to win. I don't doubt Andrew would do the same th afl football results ing."Meanwhile, Beckett did his typical pre-start conditioning drills on Wednesday to get him ready for his return.Weiland has made three starts for Boston this season, going 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA.Entering Wednesday action, the Red Sox led the Rays by four games in the American League Wild Card standings. Boston was swept in three straight at Tropicana Field last weekend. Papi out of lineup again d afl football results ue to back spasms BOSTON -- Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was out of manager Terry Francona's lineup for the second straight day as he recovers from back spasms.Ortiz is hopeful he will return to the lineup in short order, particularly with a big series coming up against the Rays beginning on Thursday night."I'd like to be ready to go right now," said Ortiz. "It's just, it gets better, and goes b afl football results ack and forth. I hope the next few days I'm ready to go. You know what? When I left yesterday, I was feeling better, but I couldn't sleep last night. It tightened up on me again. We're doing a whole bunch of different things today."With Ortiz out of the mix, Ryan Lavarnway made the start at designated hitter."Thanks to God, I've never had back problems or anything," Ortiz said. "It's just those sp afl football results asms that you get out of nowhere. I was feeling OK yesterday and I came in, did my workout and everything, and once I cooled off, it hit me again. So I had to tell Tito about it right before the game."That was a little hectic for Francona, who had to use Jed Lowrie as a pinch-hitter for Ortiz in his first at-bat."I mean, [bench coach] DeMarlo [Hale] was literally looking down the tunnel wanting to afl football results know if he could take the lineup card up. David thought he could still play. That worked out well," quipped Francona. "They all have their routine and he always takes some swings down underneath like after the anthem. All of a sudden, somebody was yelling, 'You better come here.' I walked down there and I said, 'What's going on?' He goes, 'Oh, I'm stiff, but I think I'm OK,' and it wasn't OK."Whe afl football results n did his back start to flare up?"I would say Sunday, when we got back from Tampa," said Ortiz. "The airplane, man." afl football results
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