By Jessica Camerato
CSNNE.comFollow @JCameratoNBA
By Maureen Mullen
CSNNE.comFollow @maureenamullen
BOSTON - Carl Crawford doesnt know exactly how he injured his hamstring, but now he will have to wait and see when he can play again.
Crawford left Fridays game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning after coming up limping while running to first base. He left the game and received an MRI, which revealed a Grade 1 strain.
I hurt it a little bit, so its a little sore right now, he said after the Red Sox 10-4 win.
Terry Francona said the team will meet with Crawford, trainers, and personnel to reevaluate his situation. In the meantime, Crawford will follow the prescribed treatment and stay optimistic for further evaluation on Saturday.
Ice it a few times and Ive got to wear this thing around my thigh tonight, he explained. And hopefully thatll make it feel better tomorrow.
John Lackey went eight innings, tying his longest outing of the season, and picked up his fifth win of the year. He improved to 3-0 since returning from the disabled list (right elbow sprain) on June 5.
Boston Red Sox
Its a lot better, Lackey (5-5, 7.02 ERA) said. I just think everythings a little firmer, a little crisper for sure. Arm feels a lot better.
Despite giving up four earned runs in the first three innings, Lackey settled in for the next five and wrapped up his night with five strikeouts. He did not walk a single batter and threw a season-high 81 strikes.
Terry Francona was impressed with Lackeys performance.
I thought today was the best stuff he had, said Francona. I was really, really pleased. I know he gave up four runs early, but the ball was crisp. I thought he was getting extension and as the game progressed, he was down and he had a change in speeds. I thought he was good.
The victory marked Lackeys longest winning streak in consecutive starts with the Red Sox.
Injuries forced not only Crawford, but also Kevin Youkilis out of the game. Youkilis left in the top of the fifth inning due to stomach illness. Reserves Darnell McDonald and Drew Sutton stepped in for the starters, and stepped up to the task.
Both players had recently been recalled from Triple-A and made the most of their opportunities on Friday. McDonald recorded a run and an RBI while Sutton went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Thats the good thing about this team, said Jacoby Ellsbury. Weve got guys that can come in and do a tremendous job.
The Red Sox have outscored their opponents, 100-46, in their last 13 games. They are 12-1 during that stretch.
Adrian Gonzalez (3-4, 3R) has reached base in 17 straight games and is batting .415 (27-for-65) in that span.
Ellsbury hit his fifth leadoff home run of his career and second of the season on Friday. He has already hit eight home runs this season, one short of his career-high set in 2008.
As a reminder, the start of Saturdays game has been moved to 7:10 p.m.
Left-hander Andrew Miller will be called up fromPawtucket to pitch against the Padres Monday at Fenway Park. Miller,who has started one game at Fenway in his career, is 1-1 in two careerstarts against the Padres, pitching a combined 11 innings, giving upsix runs on 10 hits and six walks with nine strikeouts.
The Sox dont need to make a roster move until Miller is called up Monday.
Shortstop Jed Lowrie was placed on the disabled list, with Drew Sutton getting called back from Pawtucket.
Jedgot an MRI this morning and actually the MRI was pretty good, Franconasaid. Structurally it didn't look like there was any significantdamage, which is really good. I think any time you look at a playersshoulder youre going to see somethings going on. So were going tohave the MRIs sent to Dr. Lewis Yocum as kind of a backup. Let himlook, also. And give him some rest and treatment and see how quickly wecan progress with him. Regardless of what we found, when you take aswing like that and it hurts like that we better slow him down a littlebit.
Its a strain. He had the bruising back there and then youget some weakness because of it. I think thats probably why he feltthere was either a mild subluxation or maybe not, but that was thefeeling. You get swelling, you get bruising and you lose strength. Soregardless of what we call it we need to get that thing stronger and todo that we need to let it settle down first and then get him on apretty good strength program so he can go out there and play and nothave a chance of that happening.
Clay Buchholz said his back, which caused him to leave his start Thursday in Tampa Bay after five innings, was feeling better.
"Today was the first day," he said. "It's going to be a day-to-day thing. If it was 40 percent last night, today it's 60 percent. So it's gotten better. That's definitely a good thing. At least we're moving forward, not moving back.
"I went in Friday and iced and stretched out a little bit, but didn't want to do anything too tough with it just for the fact that if it was that muscle spasm, didn't want to make it any worse.
"It's been a nagging thing. It happened last year. The adrenaline takes over when you get out there, but it's the days in between where you feel like you're not going to be able to go out there and compete. That's what sucks for anybody, whenever they know they want to go out there, they don't want to miss any starts, they don't want to be on the DL and have to deal with something nagging like this."
Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled for a check-up with Dr. Yocum, whoperformed his Tommy John surgery, on Monday and then travel to FortMyers to begin his rehab program.
The reason for that is thathe can get consistent, Francona said.Hes not seeing somebody uphere when were home and somebody when were on the road. So itll allbe consistent.
Rich Hill, who also had Tommy John surgery,will stay in the Boston area for his rehab. Hill, a native of Milton,Mass., said his new arm angle had nothing to do with his injury.
Jessica Camerato is on Twitter at http:twitter.com!JCamerato
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter at http:twitter.commaureenamullen