New Lineup Doesn't Help

Red Sox manager Terry Francona downplayed benching slumping leadoff man and CF Jacoby Ellsbury for Game 4 on Tuesday night.

RF J.D. Drew batted leadoff, and Coco Crisp, at No. 7 in the order, started in center. Crisp's walks in the seventh and ninth innings were the only times either reached base Tuesday night.

"We've changed the lineup pretty frequently in our postseason this year," Francona said. "I think we've had to."

Those lineup changes did not include benching Ellsbury, who batted leadoff in 114 regular-season games and Boston's first seven postseason games. But Ellsbury was 0-for-14 with an RBI sacrifice fly and no walks in the first three games of the ALCS.

That Ellsbury won the AL stolen bases crown with 50 steals was negated by the fact he wasn't getting on base. Francona noted that Andy Sonnanstine, the Rays' starter Tuesday, rarely gives up stolen bases anyway.

Drew batted leadoff eight times during the regular season, going 5-for-29 with 10 walks. His .408 on-base percentage is the best on the team.

"I can see Ellsbury's had a little bit of a problem lately," Rays manager Joe Maddon said when asked about Boston's lineup tweak. "I love that guy, too. I just think they're trying to get somebody to get on base in the top of the order ... in front of Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz."

Knuckled Out

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield owned the Rays for years - he was 19-5 against them entering Tuesday - but suddenly it's the other way around.

The Rays ripped him for the second consecutive time Tuesday night, tagging him for five runs in 22/3 innings with home runs by Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and Willy Aybar. It was 5-0 when Wakefield left in the third to a polite applause at Fenway Park. Justin Masterson replaced him.

In his previous start against Tampa Bay, on Sept. 17 at Tropicana Field, Wakefield was knocked out after 21/3 innings after Aybar, Gabe Gross and Fernando Perez homered.

Cash Goes Deep

Tampa native and Gaither High grad Kevin Cash made the best of his first playoff start, taking Sonnanstine deep in his first at-bat.

Cash became the third Boston player to hit a home run in his first postseason at-bat, joining Jose Santiago (1967 World Series) and Todd Walker (2003 ALDS).

Not Himself

Francona conceded that Ortiz, who was 0-for-12 in the series before his triple in the seventh inning Tuesday, probably isn't completely healthy.

"Big Papi" is Boston's career leader in several postseason categories. But entering Tuesday, he had driven in only one run in 27 at-bats this postseason. He hadn't homered since Sept. 22.

Ortiz missed some time in April and May with a sore right knee, then missed 45 games through July 25 with a partially torn tendon sheath in his left wrist.

"I don't know if he's perfect - I doubt that," Francona said. "But I also don't think we want to sit him. ... If he makes one good swing, that could change a ballgame.

"I don't know if anybody is 100 percent. I don't think I've been 100 percent since 1976."

No Lowell At All

Injured 3B Mike Lowell, the MVP of last year's World Series, will undergo hip surgery Monday and will not be available to the Red Sox should they reach the World Series.

Lowell was left off the ALCS roster. Kevin Youkilis, who generally plays first base when Lowell is healthy, has been playing third.

Tony Fabrizio