"The largest Fenway Park crowd in the post-World War II era (38,477) came out to watch Erik Bedard make his Red Sox debut last night. The 32-year-old lefthander was thrown into the breach after he was acquired from Seattle just before Sunday's non-waiver trade deadline.

So Bedard could not be blamed if he felt a little anxious before taking the mound against the Indians, in a game the Sox lost, 7-3.

"I was a little nervous in the first,'' said Bedard, who took a no-decision after going five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits, throwing 70 pitches (49 for strikes) while striking out five and walking none. "But I just kept my composure and kept throwing strikes.''

It was a vast improvement over his outing for the Mariners last Friday in Tampa, his first start since after spending nearly a month on the disabled list with a sprained left knee. Bedard lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on three hits and four walks, including three in a row in the second inning. He threw 57 pitches (28 for strikes) in his shortest start of the season.

"A little better,'' Bedard said when asked to compare how he felt last night with Friday's start. "I didn't walk anybody and I was throwing a lot of strikes with my curveball and that was the biggest key.''"