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Ortiz At First, Youkilis To Bench For Game 3

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

DENVER - David Ortiz will play first base for Boston when the World Series resumes tonight, and Kevin Youkilis will be benched as the Red Sox adjust to life without a designated hitter.

Mike Lowell will remain at third for the Red Sox, who have a 2-0 Series lead against the Colorado Rockies.

Ortiz, bothered by a left knee that will need surgery, worked out at first base Friday. He played seven games at first this year.

'They won't let us play with all three of them,' Manager Terry Francona said. 'It's a difficult situation to be in, but I don't have any second-guessing about what we're doing.'

Francona said that if the Red Sox have a lead in the late innings, Youkilis would take over at first.

TV RATINGS: World Series television ratings for Game 2 dropped despite a new television schedule this year.

Boston's 2-1 victory over Colorado on Thursday night got an 11.1 rating and 18 share, Fox said Friday. That's down 4 percent from the 11.6/18 for Detroit's 3-1 win over St. Louis in Game 2 last year, which was played on a Sunday night and followed an NFL broadcast.

The rating was up 7 percent from the Thursday night game in last year's World Series, a 5-4 victory by St. Louis that drew a 10.4/18.

The two-game average of 10.8/18 is up 10 percent over the 9.8/17 for the first two games last year.

WEATHER UPDATE: The Rockies might have a hard time warming up their bats when the World Series shifts to Coors Field tonight. The weather is expected to be cool but dry in Denver.

Temperatures for the first World Series game played in Colorado are expected to be in the high 30s or low 40s, with a slight breeze and no precipitation, said National Weather Service forecaster Mike Baker.

TICKET INVESTIGATION: The FBI opened an investigation after the Rockies claimed an 'external, malicious attack' on computers halted the team's first attempt to sell World Series tickets.
Computer servers handling the online-only sale were overwhelmed by 8.5 million hits in the first 90 minutes Monday, crashing the system and forcing the Rockies to suspend sales.

RAYS' PENA AWARDED: Carlos Pena was recognized as the American League's Comeback Player of the Year on Friday when the Rays first baseman was named the winner of the 2007 Players Choice Award. Washington Nationals 1B Dmitri Young was named the winner for the National League.

Tribune wires

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