PAWTUCKET, R.I. — There isn’t a more enthusiastic or likeable figure in the Red Sox organization than Daniel Nava.

The 27-year-old switch-hitter has already made a lasting impact on Red Sox Nation with his bases-loaded homer off Philadelphia’s Joe Blanton on June 12, becoming just the second big leaguer in recorded history to hit the first pitch in the big leagues for a grand slam.

But he knew that once Jeremy Hermida returned from his rib injury on Thursday, his days with the big league club were over – at least for now.

His famous home run on that Saturday afternoon came as a left-handed hitter. Nava is a natural lefty but showed enough skill and professionalism to turn around and hit from the right as well. But unfortunately, for him, not with much success at the big league level.

He batted just .182 [4-for-22] against left-handed pitching, in his six weeks with the Red Sox. That’s not to say he can’t hit right-handed. In addition to his game-tying homer in the third inning Thursday against Toledo’s Charlie Furbush, he homered from both sides of the plate for Pawtucket back on April 30. He had 10 doubles with the Red Sox but just one right-handed.

So when Nava homered and drove in three runs with two hits right-handed Thursday, there was reason for Nava to break out that sincere smile he showed off in Boston.

“I think he needed to turn around and get a little more familiar with the right-handed swing,” Pawtucket manager Torey Lovullo said. “But he’s a hitter, he’s going to hit no matter what. He just needs the reps, he needs the ABs and it was nice to see him get going from that side of the plate.”

“I’m naturally left so when it comes to the right side, it takes a little more time for me to get locked in,” Nava said. “I just wasn’t doing a very good job up there with that so I knew that was what I had to focus on.”

Lovullo was happy for Nava and just happy to have him back as his team beat Toledo, 5-4, in 10 innings when Nava scored the winning run on a single by Lars Anderson.

“We missed him,” Lovullo said. “Unfortunately, he’s not in the big leagues but fortunately for us, he’s here in Pawtucket.

Lovullo isn’t worried about Nava since he knows the hard worker will work on what he needs to in order to make the right statement to Red Sox management.

“He’s just such a polished hitter, he’s got a professional approach and with one swing of the bat, got us back in the game.”

Nava was humble about his right-handed homer that got the team back in the game on Thursday.

“It helped us get back into the game, and that was huge because at the time it was 3-0, so to get us back in the game,” Nava said.

Nava flew back to Boston following Wednesday’s game in Oakland, taking a red-eye, grabbing what precious nap time he could before stopping off and then heading down Thursday in order to play right field for the PawSox.

“I was trying to sleep and I couldn’t do it very well,” Nava said. “I was tossing and turning in a two-inch chair so that wasn’t going too well. After the season, I still have a lot of games left and have a lot of games left and have work to do. I have to work on some defense and polish that up. I have a lot of things I need to work on in order just to make myself better, whether I stay here or get called up, doesn’t matter. That’s the stuff for the long term I need to do better.

“I was able to go back to my place and get a couple hours of sleep. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t even been able to function.”

His manager thought he functioned quite well.

“Here’s a guy that flew from the West Coast to the East Coast on a red-eye, got up today after sleeping on the plane, came to the ballpark and helped us win a baseball game,” Lovullo said. “I can’t say enough about what he did.”

Lovullo said he did consider giving Nava the night off following the travel but re-considered.

“I was going to leave it up to him but we were talking about coming back to here and making statements,” Lovullo said. “I want to get back to the big leagues as soon as possible and I think he did a good job of that.”

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — By his own admission, Mike Lowell’s 1-for-5 performance for Triple-A Pawtucket wasn’t his best day.

But a veteran like Lowell knows what to get out of a start as a DH in a minor league rehab assignment. Especially when it’s your first in live game action in over four weeks.

“It was alright,” Lowell said. “I think for seeing live pitching for the first time in over a month it was kind of so-so. I think my timing was off a little. I felt a lot more comfortable as at-bats went on. Obviously, there’s a purpose to being here.”

Lowell made his first rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday night and went 1-for-5 in Pawtucket’s 5-4, 10-inning win over Toledo as the veteran infielder attempts to come back from yet another bout with a strained right hip. Scouts were on hand at McCoy stadium from the Blue Jays, Orioles, Tigers and Royals.

With one out and a runner on third in the first inning, Lowell popped out weakly to second base on a 1-1 pitch. He struck out on four pitches in the third and flew out several feet from the warning track in left leading off the sixth. In his final at-bat in the eighth, Lowell grounded out to third after Daniel Nava reached second base on a throwing error to open the inning.

With none out and Nava at first in the bottom of the 10th, Lowell hit a bloop single to shallow center to move Daniel Nava to third before Nava scored the game-winning run on a single by Lars Anderson down the right field line. Lowell went on the disabled list on June 23 with a strained right hip and received a shot in the hip on Monday.

But most importantly – at least for Lowell himself – he ran out of the batter’s box in the eighth and tenth innings without any pain.

“I’m not anticipating waking up in any pain,” he said with a typically dry smile. “My biggest concern was the running and that felt good so I’m happy with that. I definitely want to swing bat better.”

Lowell will get the day off on Friday as Pawtucket opens a weekend series in Columbus, Ohio. Lowell expects to play back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday, including playing one of the games as a third baseman.

Nava, playing his first game back at Triple-A since being optioned earlier in the day, tied the game, 3-3, on a long three-run homer in the third. Nava batted .286 in 29 games for Boston, including a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in the majors against Philadelphia at Fenway Park on June 12.

There was so much appropriate about the ending of Wednesday’s first professional soccer match at Fenway Park in 42 years.

The game was tied late. The game was forced into extra ‘innings’ and a team named Celtic came out on top.

What more would Boston fans want in the inaugural Fenway Football Challenge?

Paul McGowan scored the decisive goal in extra penalty kicks as Celtic F.C. defeated Sporting Club de Portugal before 32,162 in the inaugural Fenway Football Challenge Wednesday night at Fenway Park. McGowan’s goal came just moments after Liedson’s shot went over everything and into the right field grandstands, giving Celtic the 6-5 edge in penalty kicks.

Helder Postiga’s header in the 82nd minute lifted Sporting C.P. into a 1-1 draw in regulation. Diogo Salomao just missed moments earlier, hitting the crossbar on a header, drawing Celtic keeper Lukasz Zaluska out of position and allowing Postiga to knot the match.

“It’s not like your normal set-up,” Celtic manager Neil Lennon said. “And it’s the history and tradition of the stadium, as well.”

Georgios Samaras scored on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute to give Celtic the lead in the first Fenway Football Challenge.

But the game was secondary to the event itself. Just ask Lennon.

“I think we enjoyed it,” Lennon said. “It’s one of the most famous stadiums in the world and to play a football game here, it was pretty unique.”

Lennon was not alone in his awe of Fenway on Wednesday night and the near-sellout crowd to watch an exhibition match.

“It was a little strange playing here,” Sporting C.P. manager Paulo Sergio admitted. “We have the habit of the crowd being in line with the pitch and when I looked today, it seemed too long. I had the impression that to the left of me was too large, said Sporting manager Paulo Sergio. But, it is a mythical stadium and I will from here become a fan of the Red Sox and be more curious about baseball.”

As is the case with Red Sox fans, the following of Celtic F.C. is loyal and well-traveled. This was a payback of sorts for Celtic to its loyal fan base.

“We knew there was a huge following, obviously the Irish and the second and third-generation Irish, it was important to come and try and connect with the supporters and important to take the team here and have all the fans over here see them in the flesh, as it were,” Lennon said. “It was important to put on a performance that sent the fans home happy because a lot of people have a traveled a long, long way to come and see them tonight, and I know the boys appreciated that and I hope the fans appreciated it as well.”

Samaras, who played for Greece in the recent World Cup, had several chances in the first and second half before getting tripped by Anderson Polga on an offensive move near the left field line. The match was a “friendly” or exhibition as both teams get ready for their regular premier leagues in Europe.

The match was the first on the Fenway pitch since Pele and Santos F.C. played the Boston Beacons in an exhibition on July 9, 1968.

The Red Sox faced another tough lefty starter but this time they had no ninth-inning magic. C.J. Wilson fanned a career-best 10 batters and the Rangers scratched out eight hits and three runs off Jon Lester as the Rangers beat the Red Sox, 4-2, at Fenway Park to take three-of-four from Boston in the weekend series.

The Red Sox must now find a way to regroup as they face the daunting task of playing 10 straight against A.L. West foes Oakland [3], Seattle [4] and Los Angeles [3].

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE RED SOX

- The game was played on a sunny day at Fenway, with day being the operative word. The team has played 24 day games in 2010, winning just nine of them. The glare seems to bother these Red Sox, especially when they’re facing a tough lefty like they did on Sunday. Wilson struck out a career-high 10, including David Ortiz twice. It’s no disgrace as Wilson has now faced left-handed batters 97 times this season, allowing nine hits and striking out 26.

Wilson allowed only three hits in allowing just one run over 6 2/3 innings. He biggest inning came in the sixth when he allowed a leadoff double by Marco Scutaro. But Darnell McDonald grounded out, David Ortiz flew out to left. And following a walk to Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Beltre whiffed on a 2-2 pitch.

“Obviously, a leadoff double isn’t like a fun thing to pitch around,” Wilson said. “Today was just good day for me, I guess.”

- The offense, for the fourth straight game, could not sustain any prolonged attack. One reason, they simply blew chance after chance when given a free pass to first, six to be exact on the day. WEEI.com’s Gary Marbry reports that Red Sox had won 20 straight at Fenway when they receive at least six walks. Ironically, their last such loss: June 5, 2009 vs Texas.

“I walked just enough guys for them to swing, I guess,” said Wilson, who was responsible for five of the six free passes.

- Gary Darling in the 8th. Bang-bang call at the plate when Darnell McDonald’s throw clearly beat Elvis Andrus. But Darling ruled that Kevin Cash, out to cut off the angle on the throw home, tagged Andrus on the elbow while sliding safely in with his left foot. It was a pivotal call because it put the Rangers up three, and after Saturday night, insurance proved invaluable for the Rangers. Darling would be reminded of the call for the rest of the game as the crowd booed him on nearly every pitch.

- The Red Sox couldn’t defend the double steal. With Julio Borbon on third and Andrus on first in the fifth, Andrus took off for second. Dusty Brown, starting his first big league game behind the plate, threw down to second with Marco Scutaro covering. Scutaro’s angle to the ball was too close to the bag and Borbon took off and slide home safely with the Rangers’ first steal of home in nine seasons.

- The Red Sox allowed a Little League home run. With a scorching liner to left-center, Nelson Cruz doubled home Josh Hamilton in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, the play didn’t end there. Mike Cameron’s throw missed the cut-off man and sailed to Dusty Brown at the plate. Upon seeing that, Brown threw accurately to third to Adrian Beltre as he saw Cruz taking off when the throw went home. It would’ve been close but Beltre allowed the ball to escape far enough for Cruz to take a shot at going home, which he did safely to complete the round trip.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE RED SOX

- Jon Lester was Jon Lester again. Before flipping his gum in disgust after the eighth inning in the vague direction of home plate umpire Gary Darling, he put up eight innings, allowing four runs and nine hits. He threw 118 pitches, 75 for strikes. He allowed three walks while striking out six. He showed grit and guts despite taking just his fourth loss in 15 decisions.

- Michael Bowden. The right-hander, looking to continue an impressive run from Pawtucket, had a perfect ninth with two strike outs and fly to left. It was his first appearance with the Red Sox this season and he showed no nerves as he looks for a permanent spot in the club’s bullpen.

- Kevin Youkilis over .300. Youk managed to get the average to .301 with two more hits and looks ready to continue the roll on the road. The Red Sox will need it.

- Mike Cameron belted a home run, his fourth, to open the ninth and start yet another ninth-inning rally. This one, however, would not end the way Saturday night’s did.

This time promises to be different for Michael Bowden. Just his role alone assures that.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Sunday that Bowden has been called up and will be ready for action out of the bullpen starting today. To make room, the Red Sox designated catcher Gustavo Molina for assignment, leaving the Red Sox with the standard two catchers, Dusty Brown and Kevin Cash.

In years past, Bowden had been touted as a finesse right-hander with tremendous make-up, and would eventually find his way into the starting rotation. Selected by the Red Sox in the first round – 47th overall – of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Bowden made his MLB debut in 2008. He allowed seven hits and two runs over five innings as the Red Sox beat the White Sox, 8-2, giving Bowden his first major league win in his debut on Aug. 30.

[Click here to listen to why Terry Francona and the Red Sox are excited about Bowden.]

Since then, he’s appeared in eight games but only once more as a starter, going 1-1 with a 9.56 ERA as he struggled to find his command and his comfort zone.

“This is a kid that’s certainly been on the radar for the last couple of years and he’s come up and had spot starts and had a chance to maybe make the team out of spring training in the bullpen,” Francona said. “That didn’t happen for a lot of reasons and I think he was frustrated.”

Then he got a call on the Tuesday before the All-Star break and that all changed. He was informed that he was being taken out of the Pawtucket rotation and being placed in the PawSox bullpen, prepping for a possible move to the big league club’s pen.

The 23-year-old Bowden was good as a starter for the PawSox, going 4-3 with a respectable 3.77 ERA in 16 starts. Then he got the call on July 6.

Bowden was dominant in four games as a reliever. He went 2-0, with a save. He allowing just one hit in six innings, holding batters to a .056 average against, striking out six and walking none in the process.

“He goes back down to Triple-A, gets his starters’ innings, gets his pitches going, moves to the bullpen, which we’ve done with other guys, and now gets his chance to contribute,” Francona said.

So, how will Bowden be used in Francona’s bullpen?

“Some of it could depend on his success and things like that,” Francona said. “He’s a young, durable arm, which is good. You can’t just say he’s going to throw the sixth inning. He’s got [six] innings of relief under his belt at Triple-A but we’ll see. The idea is to get him here and have him help us. We don’t want to hide him and get him pitch the third inning of blowout games. We think this kid can really help us win some games.”

Meanwhile, Francona also said that he will sit down with Josh Beckett, pitching coach John Farrell and general manager Theo Epstein to determine whether the ace right-hander is ready to return to the rotation this week on the West Coast road trip or if he needs one more rehab start to shake off some of the “rust” he is still working through in his comeback from a strained lower back suffered on May 18 against the Yankees.

“We may be able to come to a conclusion on what we need to do or we may actually wait until he throws his side,” Francona said. “There’s no really technical reason it has to be made now.”

Beckett, pitching in what both he and the Red Sox hoped would be his final tune-up before rejoining the team, allowed three earned runs in four-plus innings for Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday night in Syracuse.

Beckett threw 81 pitches, allowing five hits, walking a batter and striking out three as the PawSox fell in Syracuse. It was the second rehab start for Beckett, who has been on the disabled list since May 19 with a lower back strain.

“Physically, he felt fine,” Francona said. “I think he said he felt some rust in just the game itself, which I think is to be expected when you’re pitching to guys you don’t know, catchers, things like that.”

J.D. Drew didn’t start on Sunday and for good reason. Lefty starter C.J. Wilson entered the game for Texas, allowing just nine hits in 94 at-bats by lefties this season, with 24 strikeouts. He fanned David Ortiz twice before getting him to fly out to left in the sixth.

Dustin Brown makes his first career start Sunday as he will catch Jon Lester in Sunday’s four-game series finale with the Texas Rangers. Mike Cameron also bats sixth and plays center field for the Red Sox.

Brown was called up on Saturday and came into catch the ninth inning after Ryan Shealy pinch-hit for Kevin Cash in the eighth. Brown popped out to short in the 10th in his only plate appearance of the night.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero makes his first career regular season start in left field, allowing slugger Josh Hamilton to DH for manager Ron Washington. Guerrero has appeared in left field only twice in the majors, in the 2000 and 2006 All-Star Games.

From the second inning to the first batter of the ninth, Cliff Lee looked like the best pitcher in baseball.

After all, when you throw 105 pitches and roughly 95 percent of them are fastballs to major league hitters, you must be pretty good.

As matter of fact and more to the point, if you’re throwing that many fastballs, you must be just about perfect with your location.

And if you ask the Red Sox batters, that’s what he was until Marco Scutaro opened the ninth with a clean single.

But that’s not the pitch Lee would like to have over.

It’s the 1-1 fastball he threw to Kevin Youkilis with the tying run on third and just one out from his second straight complete game with his new Ranger teammates.

“I was trying to go away but just pulled it a little bit over the plate,” Lee recalled.

And Youkilis didn’t miss his chance. He lined a fastball from Lee down the left field line for a game-tying double, Youkilis’ second hit off Lee on the night.

It wasn’t what he threw but where he threw it that gave Lee his biggest sense of remorse.

“I threw a pitch that caught a quite a bit of plate and he got a hit,” Lee said. “I wish I could have that pitch back but all-in-all, I gave the team a chance, got deep in the game but still kind of frustrated with giving up that run in the ninth when we have a one-run lead there but other than that, I’m pretty pleased with the way it went.”

Indeed, Lee needed only 83 pitches to get through eight dominating innings, facing only one pressure situation in the first. But that ended with Adrian Beltre grounding into a 4-6-3 double-play. Mike Cameron did double with one out in the fifth. But Lee struck out Bill Hall and Kevin Cash to end that inning, again throwing almost all fastballs.

So there was no reason for him to change, even in the ninth inning, even with the tying run at third and even with one of the best fastball-hitting batters in the game at the plate with two outs.

“I was going right at him,” Lee said. “It worked for me all night. There was no sense for me to change my approach there. Obviously in hindsight, maybe I should’ve thrown something different. If I throw it in a better spot, I think it’s a better result.”

Lee began the game throwing 28 of his first 32 pitches for strikes. He finished with 105, 75 for strikes.

“It went pretty good,” Lee said. “I threw a lot of strikes. We made some really good plays. We had a good chance to win the game there in the ninth with a one-run lead, two outs and a guy on third. Locating fastballs. That was it. Throwing fastballs down in the zone and mostly fastballs away, mixing one inside, here and there, and a cutter here and there. But that was really it, locating fastballs.”

How amazingly efficient can Lee be? He allowed six runs in his first start on the Saturday before the break in a 6-1 loss to Baltimore. He needed just 95 pitches to last all nine innings in the complete-game loss.

“I was a little more comfortable,” Lee said after Saturday’s no-decision. “Obviously, my routine was kind of weird with having to go to the All-Star Game and all that stuff but yeah, I felt a little more comfortable with what was going on. I felt alight the other day, too. I just missed location more often than today.”