David Ortiz

at Boston 3, Chicago 2: David Ortiz hit his second home run of the game to end a ninth-inning tie. It was Ortiz's 10th career game-ending home run and franchise-record ninth with the Red Sox. Hall of Fame member Jimmie Foxx had eight. at Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 2: Marco Scutaro scored the winning run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch after closer J.P. Howell loaded the bases with three walks. Rod Barajas hit a tying pinch-hit home run against Howell (6-4) with one out in the inning.

The old-timer walked to the plate, a bat in his hand, four home run derbies worth of experience to his credit, and none of them a victory. But it being the derby's final round Monday night at Angel Stadium, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz could change that last part. And, after several home runs, many of which sailed into the elevated right-field stands, Ortiz did, winning his first derby by beating Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, 11-5, in the final. When it was over, Ortiz, who hit 32 home runs at an average of 417 feet, dedicated the victory to former major league pitcher Jose Lima, a fellow Dominican who died in May at 37. "I was really hurt watching him go," Ortiz said of Lima, who played for the Dodgers in 2004.

The old-timer walked to the plate, a bat in his hand, four home run derbies worth of experience to his credit, and none of them a victory. But it being the derby's final round Monday night at Angel Stadium, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz could change that last part. And, after several home runs, many of which sailed into the elevated right-field stands, Ortiz did, winning his first derby by beating Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, 11-5, in the final. When it was over, Ortiz, who hit 32 home runs at an average of 417 feet, dedicated the victory to former major league pitcher Jose Lima, a fellow Dominican who died in May at 37. "I was really hurt watching him go," Ortiz said of Lima, who played for the Dodgers in 2004.

The Boston Red Sox are shopping for catchers after Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek allowed 38 of the first 39 runners to steal bases against them, including 14 in a three-game series against the Texas Rangers. Would they release David Ortiz if they find an attractive option? Ortiz continues to look like yesterday's news, and the mounting gap behind the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays could prompt quick action from General Manager Theo Epstein . . . . Those nine stolen bases by the Rangers on Tuesday contributed to the Red Sox's decision to move knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the bullpen, clearing room for Daisuke Matsuzaka . . . . The Milwaukee Brewers outscored the Pittsburgh Pirates 36-1 in a three-game series, including a 20-0 game that was the worst loss in the Pirates' 124-year history.

David Ortiz's horrible start could accelerate the timetable for the next round of talks between the Red Sox and Padres regarding Adrian Gonzalez . … Milton Bradley's game-winning homer for the Mariners on Tuesday was his first to give his team a lead in the seventh inning or later since Sept. 22, 2006, when he was with the A's. No wonder he's considered an anti-hero. … Brad Ausmus , 41, vows to work hard to get back on the field with the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.

David Ortiz is the best clutch hitter in baseball, a slugger whose success under pressure led the Boston Red Sox to five playoff appearances and two World Series titles in the last six seasons. Ortiz came up in another pressure situation Saturday at Yankee Stadium. But this time he whiffed. Ten days after the New York Times reported Ortiz's name was on the list of players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, 10 days after pledging not to "hide" or "make excuses," Ortiz essentially did both.

Josh Beckett gave up only an infield hit in six innings, and David Ortiz hit his third homer of the year to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Beckett (7-2) struck out eight and walked two before leaving with a 6-0 lead after six innings, having thrown 93 pitches.

David Ortiz wants players who test positive for steroids to be suspended from baseball for a year instead of the current 50-game penalty for a first offense. Taking players to court, though, for cases involving use of the substances before players were subject to penalty is not the way to clean up the game, the Boston Red Sox designated hitter said Monday. "I would suggest everybody get tested, not random, everybody," he said. "You go team by team.

Everything about David Ortiz is super-sized. From his left-handed swing, which cuts through the air like a plane's propeller, to the majestic home runs it produces. From his megawatt smile to his muscular 230-pound (wink, wink) frame. Clearly "Big Papi" didn't come by his nickname by accident. So it seems only natural that the first prolonged slump of Ortiz's career should be gargantuan as well. The former American League home run champion waited more than six weeks for his first long ball this spring.

D'Angelo Ortiz, son of Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, plays with a bat near a camera Monday before the home run derby at AT&T Park in San Francisco. David Ortiz, a.k.a. Big Papi, will start at first base for the American League today.

David Ortiz's horrible start could accelerate the timetable for the next round of talks between the Red Sox and Padres regarding Adrian Gonzalez . … Milton Bradley's game-winning homer for the Mariners on Tuesday was his first to give his team a lead in the seventh inning or later since Sept. 22, 2006, when he was with the A's. No wonder he's considered an anti-hero. … Brad Ausmus , 41, vows to work hard to get back on the field with the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.

Torii Hunter doesn't condone gambling, but he had some words of caution for those leaning toward the favored New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series against the Angels, which opens, weather permitting, Friday night in Yankee Stadium. "If you're a betting man, I'm pretty sure you'll go with the Yankees because of the payroll they have and the [future] Hall of Famers they have," the Angels' center fielder said. "They've got Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Godzilla [Hideki Matsui]

Everything about David Ortiz is super-sized. From his left-handed swing, which cuts through the air like a plane's propeller, to the majestic home runs it produces. From his megawatt smile to his muscular 230-pound (wink, wink) frame. Clearly "Big Papi" didn't come by his nickname by accident. So it seems only natural that the first prolonged slump of Ortiz's career should be gargantuan as well. The former American League home run champion waited more than six weeks for his first long ball this spring.

Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona was stricken with what team officials described as a mild case of food poisoning shortly before Thursday's opening game of the American League division series with the Angels. Francona, who had been complaining of digestive issues for much of the day, warned bench coach Brad Mills that he might have to manage the game. Francona did not come out for the pregame introductions, leaving designated hitter David Ortiz to perform the customary handshake with Angels Manager Mike Scioscia . However, Francona was in the Boston dugout when the game began and made brief appearances on the field in the fourth and sixth innings to argue calls with first base umpire C.B. Bucknor and again in the seventh when he came out to replace pitcher Ramon Ramirez . Red Sox reserve Casey Kotchman , then with the Angels, was sidelined with food poisoning during the 2007 division series between the Angels and Red Sox and was hospitalized before the final game.

If the Red Sox hope to keep the Angels' explosive offense in check they'll have to start by shutting down the running game -- something they haven't been able to do all season. Boston gave up 151 stolen bases this season, 19 more than any other team, and threw out only 13% of would-be basestealers, also the worst figure in the majors. That plays right into the Angels' strength, because Mike Scioscia's team features six players who stole at least 11 bases, including leadoff hitter Chone Figgins , who was fourth in the American League with 42 steals.

David Ortiz sat alone at his locker, against the back wall of the home clubhouse. This was three hours before game time Thursday, and all was calm. With the Boston Red Sox, anyway. The Angels had left the field screaming and cursing the previous night, furious at the umpires, mad at one another. Ortiz was astonished to hear that Torii Hunter had called out his teammates, had used the emotionally loaded verb "choked" to describe the Angels' play. Ortiz leaned back in his chair, dispensing the patience and wisdom borne of two World Series titles.

David Ortiz became the first Red Sox player to hit 40 home runs in three consecutive seasons. Ortiz joined Carl Yastrzemski and Manny Ramirez as the only players to hit 40 or more homers three times with the Red Sox. Carl Yastrzemski 1967...44 1969...40 1970...40 Manny Ramirez 2001...41 2004...43 2005...45 David Ortiz 2004...41 2005...47 2006...40 Source: Associated Press

It was a scene the Angels have become all too familiar with, one that makes their stomachs turn and their temples throb. It played out again Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox celebrating a wild and wacky 9-8 walk-off victory over the Angels with another group hug in the middle of the Fenway Park field, which has become a burial grounds for Angels pennant hopes. The Red Sox clinched division-series wins over the Angels in similar fashion in 2004 and 2008, and the fact that this one came after what the Angels felt were two blown calls by the umpires in a fateful ninth inning merely added to their frustration.

at Boston 3, Chicago 2: David Ortiz hit his second home run of the game to end a ninth-inning tie. It was Ortiz's 10th career game-ending home run and franchise-record ninth with the Red Sox. Hall of Fame member Jimmie Foxx had eight. at Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 2: Marco Scutaro scored the winning run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch after closer J.P. Howell loaded the bases with three walks. Rod Barajas hit a tying pinch-hit home run against Howell (6-4) with one out in the inning.