DENVER – Right now the World Series looks like a cruise and an imminent sweep. The question is whether the Rockies can interrupt that tonight.
The Red Sox took Games 1 and 2 at Fenway Park, and they go into tonight’s Game 3 at Coors Field on the verge of their second title in four years. With the coronation two Boston victories away, the Rockies are under major pressure to avoid a 3-0 deficit.
The Red Sox came back after trailing 3-0 in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees. But for whatever it’s worth, there hasn’t been a club that has come back from being down 3-0 in the Fall Classic.
“We honestly as a team we do feel that we belong here,” Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said yesterday. “They’ve played better than us these first two games and that’s why they’re up 2-0. But we belong here and now it’s time to go out and show some people.”
Colorado is back home, and after each team threw its top pitchers in Games 1 and 2, tonight is a matchup of secondary starters. The Rockies will pitch righty Josh Fogg, the Red Sox go with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Fogg pitched well in the NLCS, but the matchup probably favors Boston.
Colorado has scored two runs in the series so far – one in each game – and manager Clint Hurdle admitted he was contemplating a lineup shift.
The Rockies took a 2-0 lead against the Diamondbacks in the NLCS; the Red Sox fell behind 3-1 to the Indians in the ALCS. Boston came back to win the next three games, turning around the series in the same fashion the Rockies need to now.
Asked what got it turned around in the ALCS, Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek replied, “(I’m) not telling.”
Perhaps Hurdle or Fogg has a solution tonight.
“We’re not done yet,” Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins said yesterday. “There’s plenty more baseball to be played.”
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The Rockies may make changes to their offense, and the Red Sox are making a defensive move out of necessity. With the DH gone at Coors, Boston manager Terry Francona said the Red Sox will use David Ortiz at first base, keeping Mike Lowell at third and putting Kevin Youkilis (the regular first baseman) on the bench.
“I think David is a really good hitter, and I think Mike Lowell is a really good hitter and I actually think Youk is a really good hitter, but they won’t let us play all three of them,” Francona said. “So we’ll go with this. The hope would be we’d have a lead, we’ll put Youk in late.”
Yesterday Youkilis said he completely understands if Ortiz is at first base. Youkilis, who’s hitting .396 in the playoffs, said, “We’re here to win a World Series. I don’t care.”
Ortiz, who’s battling a torn right meniscus, said yesterday, “I feel good. Right now I’ve got no pain.”
Ortiz played seven games at first base this season; he did not commit an error.
Francona said he’s inclined to bat rookie center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in the leadoff spot and move typical leadoff man Dustin Pedroia to second, where Youkilis normally bats.