PHILADEPHIA -- David Ortiz, who had been in a hard cast since June 2 to protect the partial tear of the tendon sheath in his left wrist, had the cast cut off Monday and replaced with a removable splint.

This will enable the Sox' designated hitter to perform some range of motion exercises to help with his rehabilitation. While it is far too soon to place a timetable on Ortiz's return to the lineup, manager Terry Francona said the switch from a hard cast to a removable one constituted a step in the right direction.

"I would say this is a very good thing. They (doctors) weren't going to do it unless he was pain free, so I'd say that's a real good sign."

Francona said he wasn't going to assign any specific date to pencil Ortiz back in the lineup.

"It goes on how he feels, not our estimated time of arrival," said Francona.

Ortiz suffered the injury in an at-bat in Baltimore on May 31. He had to leave the game after taking a swing.

Extra bases

Kevin Youkilis was scratched from the starting lineup because of muscle spasms in the middle of his back. Sean Casey replaced him at first base. … Two years ago to the day, Julio Lugo bashed two homers off Cole Hamels, last night’s Phillies starter. Last night, Lugo walked and missed a homer off Hamels by a few feet when his drive to left-center hit near the top of the wall. Hamels retired him on a grounder to short in the sixth. … Dustin Pedroia’s multiple-hit game was his third in his last seven games. Prior to this stretch, Pedroia had notched only one multiple-hit game in his previous 15 games. … The homers by Pedroia and J.D. Drew marked the eighth time Boston has hit back-to-back jacks this season. … After two consecutive encouraging scoreless one-inning outings, Mike Timlin once again was battered. He began the sixth facing the bottom third of the Phillies order and the Sox down by only 4-2. Timlin, though, was cuffed for four runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. His earned-run average zoomed to 7.06. He has surrendered 29 hits and walked 11 — 40 base runners — in 21 2/3 innings.