By ERIC BENEVIDES

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET -- Julio Lugo got exactly what he wanted from his first rehab appearance with the Pawtucket Red Sox -- a chance to field his position and get some at-bats against live pitching.
In eight innings of work in the field, the Boston Red Sox shortstop handled three grounders and a line drive with ease, but in four trips to the dish, Lugo didn’t touch the ball once.
Lugo, who batted leadoff, struck out swinging in his first two at-bats (in the first and second innings) on pitches that were low and away. In the fifth, he struck out a third time (caught looking at a 3-2 pitch), and in the eighth, he walked on five pitches.
It wasn’t the type of performance the 6,774 in attendance hoped to see from the nine-year veteran in Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Rochester Red Wings at McCoy Stadium, but it was a showing that pleased both Lugo and Pawtucket Red Sox manager Ron Johnson. 
“I felt good,” noted Lugo. “I was a little nervous, but it felt good to be back and get back to some real games. (The game) means something, you have some fans out there, and you have better pitching, and you don’t see that in extended spring (training).
“But I felt comfortable. It’s just a matter of me feeling comfortable with my knee and that’s what I’m here for.”
Lugo looked anything but comfortable in his three punchouts, but Johnson didn’t put any stock in those plate appearances.
“With big league guys, you see this so many times,” he admitted. “I’ve seen pitchers come down and not get anyone out. The guy’s a veteran player and he knows what he’s doing. This is about tracking balls, getting reps, seeing some pitches, and going through the routines of a shortstop in the Northeast, (as) compared to Florida. I think everything was A-plus today.”
Lugo, who appeared in a career-low 82 games last season -- no thanks to a strained left quadriceps muscle, suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee in spring training and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair it on March 17.
When the Red Sox kicked off their season against the Tampa Bay Rays two weeks ago, Lugo remained in Fort Myers, Fla. for extended spring training. He returned to Boston on Monday and took part in a series of running tests for the team’s medical staff before getting the OK to head to Pawtucket.
Lugo was slated to make his rehab debut on Tuesday, but inclement weather washed out those plans, and when it began to rain again in the later stages of yesterday’s game, Johnson yanked him after eight innings.
“Julio didn’t have any problems at all, but I thought it started raining a little too much in the ninth inning,” remarked Johnson. “I got a little concerned, and it was my call to take him out of the game. He had his fourth at-bat and that was good for the day.”
Lugo is expected to continue his rehab stint with the PawSox for their first three games of their four-game series on the road against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and if all goes well, he could join the Red Sox next Monday when they begin a nine-game road trip against the Cleveland Indians.
“I can’t wait,” said Lugo. “It has been a long time since I’ve played up there and it’s going to be a trip for me to go back. I just want to get my leg strong again and I’ll be all right.”
 Buchholz shines in no-decision
PawSox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz certainly threw well enough to pick up his first victory of the season. He scattered three singles and two walks in five innings of work, but when his pitch count hit 65 (49 of them strikes), he exited the game with the score tied at 2-2.
The Red Wings then proceeded to score five runs off three relievers, but the PawSox came back and forced extra innings with five runs in their final at-bats before winning the game in the 11th inning on a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Chip Ambres.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction for me,” remarked Buchholz. “I felt good about my breaking ball and I was telling (Johnson) that it’s easier whenever you’re throwing breaking balls for strikes because you’re able to mess around with other pitches instead of having to throw all fastballs.”
Buchholz, who worked 3 2/3 innings and tossed 82 pitches in his first start on April 12 in Buffalo against the Bisons, suffered a hamstring strain that forced him to miss his next start, last Friday’s home opener against Lehigh Valley.
Buchholz spent that Friday throwing in a bullpen session, and after he got in another session in front of minor-league pitching coordinator Ralph Treuel, he got the green light to start yesterday‘s game and felt no problems.
“Everything’s good,” admitted Buchholz. “I made a couple of moves over to cover first base and didn’t feel any stress or any tension. That was one of the big things I was worried about, because I hadn’t really tried to do any sprint work yet, so I guess I can say that I’m almost fully recovered.”
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NOTES:  Ambres laced a soft single to right field in the third to extend his hit streak to seven games. … Angel Chavez’s base hit in the ninth ended an 0-for-21 skid. … Outfielder Jeff Corsaletti, who has been on the DL with a shoulder ailment, is expected to be activated in time for Pawtucket’s series in Lehigh Valley. … Southpaw rookie pitcher Kris Johnson, who is 1-0 and has thrown 10 scoreless innings in his two starts this season, will oppose Justin Lehr (2-0, 1.43) in tonight’s 7:05 p.m. opener in Lehigh Valley. After the PawSox’s series with the IronPigs, they will bus to Syracuse for a two-game series with the Chiefs.