BOSTON -- Mike Lowell, who returned to the lineup Friday night after an eight-game absence, left after just one at-bat as the Red Sox DH, suffering a setback with his ailing right hip.

When Lowell held up on a swing in his one and only at-bat, he felt a sharp pain and needed to walk around the batter's box to continue the at-bat. He eventually flied to left. When his spot came up again in the third, Chris Carter pinch-hit and took over the DH role.

"To say I was disappointed is a major understatement," said a downcast Lowell after the Red Sox 19-8 thrashing by the New York Yankees. "It doesn't hurt me to swing. But when I make my mind up to swing and then take a pitch, that's the problem. As I start to rotate my hips, it just catches. There's a sharp pain. I can tolerate the pain, but it's what happens right after. It swells up and it very sore."

After coming out of the game, Lowell consulted with a hip specialist who told him the problem "totally makes sense. I don't really know what the solution is. He says he thinks we can continue to try medication. He's not giving up, so I'm not giving up."

But when asked if he thought he might be left off the Division Series roster, Lowell admitted his status is in doubt.

"I don't want to be a liability for the team," Lowell said. "By no means do I think I'm owed a roster spot. In a short series, with some days off, maybe I could pinch-hit. I'm not ruling out anything yet. But obviously, I'm disappointed."

"That was certainly discouraging for us tonight," said Terry Francona. "He's certainly not ready to pull the plug or quit trying to play . . . Because of how tough he is and what he means to us and (Lowell) still wanting to play, you don't want to pull the plug on it either. We'll monitor as we go and do the best we can.''

Francona said the Sox had planned to start Lowell at third Sunday in the season finale, but that plan has been scrapped.