Olympic swimmer Elizabeth Beisel of Saunderstown signs autographs before the pregame ceremony at Fenway last night. Other Olympians honored last night included Rhode Islanders Demetrius Andrade (boxing) and Michael Parkhurst (soccer).

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — Mike Lowell took batting practice with the rest of the Red Sox yesterday, and afterward pronounced himself ready to be activated when the team begins a brief three-game road trip in Texas on Friday.

Lowell has been on the disabled list since Aug. 13 with a strained right oblique muscle, and yesterday marked the first time that he hit live pitching in weeks.

After taking 35 or so swings inside the batting cage, he took a regular turn in the cage and was encouraged by his progress.

“I thought it went great,” said Lowell. “I was kind of curious (as to how he would feel); I had been putting more effort in (working in the) cage so this wouldn’t be totally different.”

Lowell admitted to a bit of trepidation before his first round of hitting in the cage, but soon found he had nothing to worry about.

“After the first round,” he said, “I was able to concentrate on my swing instead of worrying about how I felt.”

Lowell will take BP again today, and assuming he doesn’t regress, hopes to be back in the lineup Friday.

Along with the oblique, Lowell continues to battle some issues with his hip.

“I still feel it a little,” he acknowledged. “I think that’s still going to be part of the grind playing day-to-day. That’s more wait-and-see. But even at the worst point, I was able to play every day (with some discomfort).”

Lowell marveled at the team’s ability to deal with the series of injuries it has suffered, and expressed hope that the team is rounding into better shape for the final 3½ weeks of the season.

“It feels like we’ve been battling (injuries) all year,” he said. “If it’s not one guy, it’s another.”

453 and counting

The Red Sox enjoyed their 453rd consecutive sellout last night. Tomorrow, they will tie the Cleveland Indians’ record for 455 straight sellouts, set from June 12, 1995, to April 2, 2001. The Sox have sold out every home game since May 15, 2003, and going into last night had drawn 16,185,884 fans in that span.

Around the bases

Last night marked the one-year anniversary of Clay Buchholz’s no-hitter against the Orioles. … The Sox need 11 stolen bases over the next 25 games to establish a club record for most steals in a season. They went into last night with 105 steals; the franchise record is 116, set in 1934. … Jason Varitek’s second-inning homer was his 157th as a Red Sox catcher, tying him with Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk in that department. Varitek is batting .326 (14-for-43) in his last 12 games with four homers. Five of his 12 homers this season have been hit against Baltimore. … The Sox improved to 5-1 in their last six games against Baltimore. ... Jonathan Papelbon is 17-for-17 in career save chances against the Orioles and has allowed just one earned run in 21 lifetime innings against them.

smcadam@projo.com