Happy Birthday Jeb Lowry

Jed Lowrie -- who will celebrate his 24th birthday today in New York -- became the second Red Sox player to have three RBI in his major league debut.

The other Sock was Merl Combs, who did it September 12, 1947. Combs also debuted as a third baseman, though he spent more games at shortstop over his brief five-year career.

Lowrie:

My first professional hit in Lowell I remember [former Spinners manager Luis] Alicea asked me if I wanted to keep the ball. I said, "No. I only want to keep my first major league hit." ... Right before [my first AB], Mike Lowell came up to me and told me the guy likes to throw sliders and cutters in. He threw me a fastball away and everything else was a slider in. I was able to put a barrel on it and get it through the hole.

As per tradition, Lowrie was presented with a fake "first hit" ball with "Nice 3,000,000 chopper" and "2 RBI, but K'd in his first at-bat" and "Jeb Lowry" written on it.

I thought it was a joke, but they played up. Beckett sold it pretty good.

Jason Varitek's last pinch-hit homer came on June 12, 2003 against St. Louis. That was a wild game! ... It was also the first Red Sox pinch-hit home run since Doug Mirabelli went deep on October 2, 2005.

Other Red Sox born on April 16 include: Jim Lonborg, Bob Montgomery, and Dutch Leonard.