There's no writing off the Red Sox yet
ALCS FYI
Boston has trailed before in playoff series only to bounce back and reach World Series.
BOSTON -- Though Tampa Bay took a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series with a 9-1 victory today in Fenway Park, it's far too soon to write off the Boston Red Sox.
Boston rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Cleveland in last year's ALCS and overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, going on to win the World Series in each season.
But there are certainly some disturbing developments for the Red Sox. Leadoff batter Jacoby Ellsbury is 0 for 14 in the ALCS and is hitless in his last 20 playoff at-bats, though he did drive in Boston's run Monday with a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
And No. 3 hitter David Ortiz is struggling so much that his nickname has gone from Big Papi to Big Popup. The slugger, who has come up with many big October hits, is 0 for 10 in the ALCS.
"They're pitching him tough, pitching him backwards," Boston first baseman Mark Kotsay said of Ortiz. "He's not getting much to hit. I haven't seen him expand the strike zone, though.
"Obviously, Tampa Bay is in the ALCS and that team has great pitching, and they've been doing a good job. I think every guy in the lineup wants to contribute. We're trying to put things together. We've got to come out Tuesday and get things going."
Red Sox Manager Terry Francona isn't about to panic . . . yet.
"He's smack-dab in the middle of the lineup, and when he does get hot, it'll certainly be welcome," Francona said of Ortiz. "He hasn't gotten any hits, but I've been around David long enough to know that can change with one swing of the bat."
That's Lester, with an L
Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester had not allowed a leadoff batter to reach base or an earned run in 15 playoff innings this October, the first 14 of those innings coming against the Angels in the division series.
The first of those streaks fell in the second inning Monday with a leadoff walk to Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria, who took second on Willy Aybar's single, third on a passed ball and scored an unearned run on Dioner Navarro's groundout for a 1-0 lead.
The second of those streaks was shattered in the third inning, when Jason Bartlett led off with a single, Akinori Iwamura doubled off the wall in left field and B.J. Upton crushed a three-run home run -- his fifth of the postseason -- high over the Green Monster for a 4-0 lead.
