The Dodgers are playing a softball-style defense. Center fielder Andruw Jones is playing directly behind second base, giving the Dodgers five infielders, basically. Don’t know if Jones can pick up a ground ball or turn a doubleplay. He hasn’t had to so far, and it’s the bottom of the third.

The Boston defense? More typical, just with the outfielders swung toward right field. The left fielder is in left-center, the center fielder in right-center, etc.

Biggest ovation so far: The introduction of Vin Scully before the game. A standing O.

Weirdest hit so far: Rafael Furcal laced a ball past Mike Lowell at third base, a sure double at any real major-league park. But it got to the fence, 201 feet from home, so quickly that Red Sox left fielder Bobby Kielty was on it immediately and Furcal didn’t even think about trying to make it to second.

First “Moon shot”: Kevin Youkilis just lifted a fly ball to left that would be an easy out even at Fenway, and it was well into the stands, for a home run.

Play area in right field. Kids are running around on the grass in the “standing room” section on the field. It’s almost like that area behind Petco Park in San Diego … except this is inside the stadium.

Most interesting plaque I saw at the peristyle end, while looking around: A commemoration of the “Mercy Bowl,” played between Fresno State and Bowling Green in 1961 as a fund-raiser for survivors of the Cal Poly SLO football team plane crash of the previous year. Among the survivors were future USC coach Ted Tollner and a couple of Inland Empire kids, Roy Scialaba of San Bernardino and General Owen Sr. of Barstow.

Catcher’s best friend: The backstop is, maybe, 10 feet behind the catcher. If the catchers can keep the ball from squirting off left or right, nobody is going to take a base on a ball that gets behind home plate.

Pitchers best friend: No, not the Little League-deep left field net … but the absence of a hitting backdrop, in center field, for the batters. They’re looking into fans to try to pick out the baseball. So far they’re doing fairly well, but if this were a day game and the fans were wearing white shirts …

Most interesting scoring stat to far: Russell Martin just threw out Jacoby Ellsbury trying to steal … and “center fielder” Andruw Jones caught the throw and tagged out Ellsbury. As we noted, Jones is playing behind second base. Said the official scorer: “You’re going to love this one. ‘Caught stealing 2-8.'”

Player participation: The fans finally got a wave going, and it was seriously impressive … to the point that the Red Sox bullpen got involved. They are stationed about halfway down the left-field line, out in the open, and when the wave arrived at the tunnel end of the stadium … they dutifully rose, with hands in the air.

Have to give the Dodgers lots of credit for bringing so many of their Dodger Stadium accoutrements to the Coliseum, from souvenir stands to ushers. But one thing they didn’t bring? Dodger Dogs. Fans have to settle for $6 “All Beef Colosso Dogs.”