Ever since grade school, Jed Lowrie has competed against older players -- his performance typically rising to the quality of the competition. The only difference this week for the North Salem High School graduate is those older kids now are big leaguers.

Lowrie, 24, has started five games at three positions for the Boston Red Sox and starred in three of them, giving Red Sox fans another reason to love Oregon in addition to Lowrie's longtime friend, Jacoby Ellsbury of Madras High School who went on to star at Oregon State.

"They have played together at showcase events and against each other, and known each other for 10 years," said Lowrie's mother, Miriam. She and her husband, Dan, returned home Monday after watching Jed play at Fenway Park.