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BOSTON — Last night’s game was postponed because of rain, so center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury had an extra day to rest his bruised tailbone.

Ellsbury, who suffered the bruise when he was hit by a pitch from Chicago’s John Danks on Monday, was ready to play last night after having been unable to start during the three-game series against Texas. He had played the final four innings of Thursday night’s game and fanned in his only at-bat.

Manager Terry Francona had Ellsbury back in the lineup, starting in center and batting leadoff.

“We just hope he doesn’t get hit there again,” said Francona.

One reason Francona wanted Ellsbury in the starting lineup was because of his numbers against Toronto ace right-hander Roy Halladay, who was scheduled to start last night. Ellsbury was 4 for 6 with a triple, two homers and three RBI against Halladay.

He’ll get his chance tonight, with Halladay on the mound for the Jays.

Rotating rotation

The game was postponed at 8:35 last night after a delay of an hour and five minutes before the scheduled first pitch.

It will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 13, the next time Toronto visits Fenway Park. The games that day are scheduled to start at 12:35 and 7:05. Tickets for last night’s game will be good only for the 12:35 game.

There was thought to play a day-nighter today, but the forecast for this morning wasn’t good.

The rainout prompted Francona to alter his starting rotation, with rookie Clay Buchholz affected the most.

Paul Byrd, last night’s scheduled starter, will pitch tonight, bumping Josh Beckett, today’s scheduled starter, to start in tomorrow’s game.

Buchholz was slated to pitch tomorrow, but Francona is going to push the struggling right-hander to a start Wednesday in Baltimore. That way only one pitcher’s routine is disturbed, with Francona able to keep Jon Lester (Monday in Baltimore) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (Tuesday in Baltimore) on their regular turns.

Flu sets back Colon

Bartolo Colon’s third rehab start for the Pawtucket Red Sox was an abbreviated one in Syracuse.

The right-hander lasted only one inning, allowing two hits and no runs. He threw 17 pitches, 9 of which were strikes, but he was unable to go back on the mound for the second inning because of stomach flu.

On the mend

On the injury front:

• Shortstop Julio Lugo, sidelined since July 12 because of a strained quadriceps, has been able to do more baseball activities lately, including running. He’ll be accompanying the Red Sox on their trip to Baltimore, Toronto and New York that begins Tuesday.

• Third baseman Mike Lowell is a little less tender because of a strained oblique. Lowell, who is on the disabled list, won’t go with the Sox for the beginning of their trip because he still isn’t able to perform baseball activities.

Lowell will be re-examined in about a week. He could be well enough then to rejoin the team and begin hitting and fielding, but if not, Francona seemed to think Lowell would be healthy enough to accompany the team in New York on Aug. 26.

• Tim Wakefield (shoulder stiffness) will play catch today. If that goes well , Francona said he and pitching coach John Farrell would sit down with Wakefield to determine a “target date” for his return.

skrasner@projo.com