Bailey

DETROIT — Jeff Bailey, 28, is in his 11th professional baseball season, but last night constituted his first night in the big leagues.

Bailey, as expected, had his contract purchased by Boston from Pawtucket and was in the starting lineup, at first base. Bailey swapped Red Sox roster spots with outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Bailey had to be added to the organization’s 40-man big-league roster, and that spot was opened up by pushing rehabbing right-hander Matt Clement to the 60-day disabled list.

The call-up news took Bailey surprise, especially since it was given to him by Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson at a truck stop between Scranton and Rochester at 1:30 yesterday morning on the PawSox’ road trip.

“I was getting a gumball out of the machine. I put the gumball in my mouth and RJ told me and I told him he was lying to me and walked away. He had to tell me a second time,” said Bailey yesterday before batting practice.

To say the news shocked Bailey is an understatement.

“If you had my numbers, wouldn’t you be surprised, too? It came out of nowhere,” asked a smiling Bailey, who was batting a mere .250 with 9 homers and 40 RBI in 74 games for the PawSox.

There have been times when Bailey, who also has been in the Florida and Montreal organizations, thought this big-league day would never come.

“But getting to play baseball every day at any level is better than going back to school or working in the paper mill at home. I’m still having fun. That’s what it’s all about. This [promotion] means a lot.” There is no timetable on the length of Bailey’s stay in the big leagues. It may be only for these three days in Detroit as the Red Sox try to protect Kevin Youkilis (left quadriceps strain) and feature Bailey’s right-handed bat in the lineup (Bailey was batting .301 against left-handers in Pawtucket).

But Boston manager Terry Francona has liked Bailey’s swing since first seeing him in camp as a non-roster player in 2005. Welcoming him to the big leagues was a lot better than sending him back to the minor-league camp, which is what Francona had done the last three springs.

“That’s pretty cool to be able to do this,” said Francona. “We wouldn’t make decisions on ‘pretty cool,’ but it is, there’s no denying it.”

Bailey came within an eyelash of a sacrifice fly in his first big-league at-bat, but was denied of an RBI when he flied to center and Curtis Granderson threw out Wily Mo Pena, who had tagged up at third and tried to score in the third. He finished hitless in four at-bats last night.

More rest for Youkilis

Youkilis once again was held out of the starting lineup. It was the fourth game in the last five he had missed, and the Sox’ first baseman is likely to miss the final two games of this series, as well, giving him a good rest heading into the All-Star break.

Picking up the slack at first base in this series will be Bailey and Eric Hinske. Bailey, a right-handed hitter, is expected to start against left-handers Andrew Miller (last night) and Nate Robertson (tomorrow). Hinske, a left-handed hitter, likely will start tonight, against right-hander Jeremy Bonderman.

Ortiz sits, too

Francona told David Ortiz a few days ago that he would have last night off. There were a few reasons for that. The Tigers were starting a tough left-hander, and Ortiz, as a member of the Sox’ All-Star contingent, wasn’t going to be getting any rest during the break, either.

As a result, Francona was able to give Manny Ramirez a little bit of a break by keeping him out of the outfield and starting him as the designated hitter, in place of Ortiz. That opened up a spot in left field for Pena, who in the past has had more success against left-handed pitchers than right-handers.

Ever the diplomat

Francona said he was going to avoid the temptation to advise Detroit manager Jim Leyland on any personnel decisions — like maybe starting the Red Sox’ Josh Beckett — in Tuesday’s All-Star Game in San Francisco.

“That’s his business. He’s the manager,” said Francona, the All-Star manager in 2005.

Around the bases

Coco Crisp, batting in the leadoff spot, extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single to center in the third. He has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games. He also swiped his 16th base . . . Julio Lugo racked up stolen base number 21 . . . Ramirez has had a double in four of his last five games . . . Third baseman Lowell committed a throwing error in the fourth. It was his 13th error of the year, only one shy of his career high of 14, set in 2002, while he was playing for the Marlins.

skrasner@projo.com