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Boston On The Brink

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By MIKE FITZPATRICK, The Associated Press

Published: October 28, 2007

Updated: 10/28/2007 01:22 am

DENVER - Mile high or sea level, nothing is stopping the Boston Red Sox. Even when the Colorado Rockies rallied late, their chance to get back into the World Series vanished into Coors Field's thin air.

Rookies Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia sparked the Red Sox from the top of the order, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Boston beat Colorado 10-5 on Saturday night and moved within one win of a Series sweep.

Ellsbury became the first rookie in 61 years with four hits in a Series game, getting three of Boston's seven doubles. Pedroia had three hits, including a bunt single that helped set up a six-run third against Josh Fogg.

Down 6-0, Colorado came back with two runs in the sixth, and Matt Holliday's three-run homer in the seventh on Hideki Okajima's first pitch cut the Red Sox lead to 6-5.

But then Ellsbury lofted an RBI double down the right-field line off Brian Fuentes in the eighth that just eluded Brad Hawpe's attempt at a sliding, backhand catch, and Pedroia followed with a two-run double to right that put Boston back in front by four runs. Jason Varitek added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

On Oct. 27 three years ago at old Busch Stadium, the Red Sox completed a sweep of St. Louis for their first World Series title in 86 years. Having won seven straight Series games for the first time in franchise history, Boston will try for its seventh championship tonight.

Every team that has taken a 3-0 World Series lead has gone on to win.

If the Rockies are the National League's best, the senior circuit has a lot of catching up to do. Maybe it is the rust of a record eight-day layoff for the Rockies, or maybe the Red Sox really are a league above.

Colorado has been outscored 25-7, has only 22 hits and is batting just .222. Boston's batters were bruisers in the pinball parlor of Coors Field, and are hitting .352 in the Series with 16 doubles.

Matsuzaka hit a two-run single during Boston's big outburst and pitched the Red Sox to a 6-2 lead after six innings.

A sizable contingent of Boston fans cheered and chanted at Coors Field all night. Rockies rooters tried to drown them out, revved up themselves for the first World Series game in Colorado.

Hawpe and Yorvit Torrealba hit RBI singles off Javier Lopez, and pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs nearly got the Rockies back in the game. His drive to center off Mike Timlin was caught by Ellsbury just in front of the 415-foot sign.

Then, Boston shortstop Julio Lugo made a leaping catch to rob pinch-hitter Jeff Baker of at least one RBI. With the Red Sox still comfortably ahead, Lugo raised his fist in the air as he turned and headed back toward the dugout.

Mike Lowell also hit a two-run single off Fogg, replaced by Franklin Morales after giving up 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings. David Ortiz and Ellsbury each had an RBI double.

Before the game, there were a few hundred Red Sox fans in full regalia behind their third-base dugout. Several said they got tickets through the Rockies' online sale.

With no designated hitter allowed in the National League ballpark, the Red Sox played a hobbling Ortiz at first base and put Kevin Youkilis on the bench. Lowell remained at third, but Ellsbury moved up to the leadoff spot.

Ellsbury already had three hits before the No. 9 spot in Colorado's lineup even came up. The rookie outfielder became the second player in World Series history to hit two doubles in one inning. Arizona's Matt Williams did it in 2001, in Game 6 against the New York Yankees.

The Rockies shuffled their lineup as well - by choice.

Slumping leadoff man Willy Taveras was benched and replaced in center field by Cory Sullivan, who batted eighth. Kaz Matsui moved from the No. 2 spot to leadoff, and Troy Tulowitzki jumped from seventh to second.

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