BOSTON — After missing three out of the last four games as he battled a flu bug, Coco Crisp was back in center field for the Red Sox last night against Tampa Bay. The results of the blood work he had done on Monday “came back as hoped,” said Sox manager Terry Francona. “It’s a virus.”

Although he told Francona that his legs were still a little sore, Crisp said he was ready to play and looked as sharp as ever in the field, effortlessly tracking down a deep fly ball in the gap by Josh Wilson in the fifth.

And although his timing may have been a little off at the plate, as he struck out swinging in each of his first two at-bats, then bunted into a fielder’s choice in the seventh, Crisp came through in the clutch, driving in Jason Varitek for the game-winner with a line drive single to right in the ninth inning of Boston’s 2-1 victory over the Devil Rays.

“Even defensively, having those legs out there, it means a lot to what we’re doing,” Francona said. “Then to have him do what he did (in the ninth), that’s exciting.”

Although not having the services of Crisp for a few games wasn’t ideal, it did give Francona an opportunity to see that he does have another option in center field with J.D. Drew.

Moving to the middle of the outfield from his usual position in right, Drew started there last Wednesday for the last game against Anaheim, Sunday for the last game at Baltimore, and Monday against Tampa Bay.

“I think he looks fine out there,” Francona said. “I actually think he looks like the guy that because of his instincts, he may even get better reads out there. I think if you are a good outfielder and you have enough speed where center field doesn’t expose you, center field should be the easiest position. And I think he demonstrates that. He gets good jumps, glides to the ball. Again, asking someone to be Coco is not fair, but he looks like he had fun out there, too.”

Drew noted that he played center field when he was at Florida State University and then “off and on” for the Dodgers, and said he had no problem in his three starts there over the last week.

“It’s nice to be able to go over and fill in so guys can have a break when we need it,” he said. “It works out well.”

Drew’s son in recovery

After being on the road for 10 days, Drew said it was nice to be home with his 17-month-old son Jack, who is recovering from surgery for an abnormal displacement of the hip joint.

“He’s doing pretty well,” said Drew. “He’s just uncomfortable, so you just try to keep him entertained. It’s going well, though. It’s tiring, but great. It’s good to help out and give my wife a break.”

Respects for Rizzuto

The Red Sox observed a moment of silence for Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who died yesterday at the age of 89.

Having played for the Red Sox in the 1940s while Rizzuto was playing for the Yankees, Johnny Pesky had an opportunity to get to know the five-time All-Star shortstop.

“We had a lot of fun with one another,” said Pesky. “I wish I could have been a player like he was. He was a great player, could run like a deer, quick hands, quick with the bat. He was an All-Star hitter, an All-Star many years, a fine guy and he didn’t show off or anything. He knew what he could do and what he had to do. He was very popular on the team. Being a little guy like that, the big guys looked after him.”

Donnelly OK after surgery

Dr. Lewis Yocum successfully performed Tommy John surgery on pitcher Brendan Donnelly’s right elbow, yesterday morning in Inglewood, Calif.

Donnelly will return home to begin rehabilitating and is expected to rejoin the team in several weeks for a followup examination.

Francona received a text message from Donnelly shortly after the surgery.

“His text said he came through it great and he was just going to go rest,” Francona said. “I think he was a little groggy, but he sent a real quick message that said, ‘Hey, I made it,’ and he’s OK, which I really appreciate a lot.”

Francona praises Ortiz

Francona vehemently came to the defense of David Ortiz when the issue of his low power numbers relative to last year came up yet again. After finishing the 2006 season with a club-record and American League-leading 54 home runs and 137 RBI (second highest in the majors), the slugger entered last night’s game with only 19 homers and 71 RBI with six weeks left in the season.

“The best way I can describe my feelings about David as a player and as a hitter and as a leader is if I ever come out and criticize him, I’ll go urinate in a bottle because you’ll need to drug test me because that’s how I feel. It’s just not happening,” Francona said. “Whatever he does is good enough because he’s giving you everything he has. Some years maybe the power will be more than the others; maybe it won’t. But whatever he does is as good as he can do. So when you sit where I do, it helps. When the team’s going bad, when the team’s going good, knowing you have guys like that helps a lot.”

Asked what his reaction was when Ortiz dropped to home plate and did a couple of pushups after falling to the ground while trying to avoid an inside pitch in Monday night’s game, Francona said: “I got a little chuckle out of it.”

“There is a certain amount of sheer enjoyment he gets playing,” Francona added. “And I think sometimes he feels such a load, a burden to carry us, I like when that enthusiasm comes out. Because that’s David.”

Timlin on a roll

He threw only four pitches. He didn’t get a win. He didn’t get a save. He didn’t even get a hold, the latest in statistics for relief pitchers.

But veteran Mike Timlin got probably the most important out in last night’s game.

The right-hander entered the game with the bases filled and two outs in the eighth with the Devil Rays already ahead, 1-0. Timlin got ahead of B.J. Upton at 0-and-2. Upton fouled off the next pitch and then couldn’t catch up to a high fastball for a strikeout that kept it a 1-0 game.

Timlin has been scored upon only once in his last 16 games. The appearance was the 993rd of Timlin’s career.

Around the bases

Warwick’s Dan Wheeler’s first career appearance at Fenway Park went very well. The right-hander, obtained from Houston around the nonwaiver trading deadline, worked a spotless eighth inning, retiring Julio Lugo (foulout), Dustin Pedroia (popup) and David Ortiz (grounder to first). … The homer for Mike Lowell was his first in 82 at-bats, since connecting at home on July 22 against Chicago.

skrasner@projo.com