Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who had five hits in the game, races home to score on an overthrown ball in the bottom of the seventh inning last night.

The Providence Journal / Kris Craig

BOSTON — Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell suffered a right-oblique strain during an at-bat in the seventh inning last night and was removed from the game.

He will have an MRI taken this morning before a decision is made whether or not to place him on the disabled list.

“He’s feeling it a bit,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “Everyone knows how tough he is and he’ll play through things. We’ll get him checked out (today). We’re not going to rush into anything because of who he is and how he plays, but we’ll get him checked and try to get a medical update so we know how to proceed.”

Following last night’s dramatic 19-17 victory for the Red Sox, Lowell, who is also battling a hip flexor, could barely walk from the showers to his locker.

“I took those two swings during my last at-bat, and on the first one I felt a little grab on my side,” he explained. “The second one, I felt something a lot more significant. On the last pitch, I kind of panicked and didn’t know what to do. I didn’t think I could swing. I have never had this happen to me before. It’s just frustrating. I think we’re playing good, and this game could have been potentially a major downer for us. But we turned it around and had a great win.”

Even though the win for the Red Sox was special, Lowell didn’t seem too upbeat about his own health.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Those two swings were weird. I was hoping it would go away, but it was getting progressively worse. It’s just frustrating.”

The training staff told him they want him to take it slow because they think a few days off will help his hip, too.

“I hope [today] I feel better,” he said. “I don’t want to say I’m nervous about it, but I feel like I’m in unchartered waters. … I would like to avoid [the DL] but the doctor said it’s a possibility. Hopefully it feels better in the next couple of days, but I don’t think our sport caters to having that part of the body [injured], especially with all the twisting we do. We’ll see.”

Ellsbury scratched

Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was originally penciled into last night’s lineup, but he was a last-minute scratch due to tightness and a bruised tailbone. He was hit by a pitch Monday night in Chicago. Coco Crisp played center. Ellsbury entered the game in the bottom of the eighth as a pinch-hitter for Kevin Cash and walked. … Last night was the last time Cash will wear No. 36 for the Red Sox. With Paul Byrd coming to town, Cash will give his number to the veteran pitcher and will switch to No. 30 for the rest of the season.

Around the bases

Red Sox injured shortstop Julio Lugo (quadriceps) continues to to run and yesterday he participated in baseball activities for the first time since he injured his leg July 12. He was able to take ground balls.

“He’s worked hard,” Francona said. “He had a very productive week while we were gone.”

Lugo has been working mainly with the club’s physical therapist, Scott Waugh, and both said yesterday everything was going well.

jmcdonal@projo.com