It has been a quiet postseason for Rocco Baldelli. That is until he launched a baseball off the Sports Authority sign above the Green Monster in left field during the eighth inning Monday.
The three-run blast erased any doubt of the outcome in what became a 9-1 Tampa Bay Rays victory in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
It also erased any doubt that Baldelli, who missed more than half this season with mitrochondrial disorder still has some game.
Baldelli became just the fourth Rhode Island native to homer in the postseason. That his first-ever postseason home run came in Fenway Park, the home of his one-time favorite team made it a little more special.
"To be able to do it in front of my friends and my family was pretty nice," Baldelli said. "Everything I do so far this year is pretty special to me coming from the condition that I was in in spring training. So everything that get I feel is pretty rewarding. Especially to do it here in front of everyone was very nice."
Ortiz struggles
The big hits have abandoned David Ortiz, who has not homered in his last 54 postseason at-bats.
What's more, the Red Sox designated hitter is 0-for-10 with four walks in the first three games of the ALCS.
"If you told me he wouldn't have a hit in three games I would have thought he walked every time," Carl Crawford said.
When asked about Big Papi's struggles, Dioner Navarro said: "I think you got to give a little credit to our guys. They're making good pitches against him."
B.J. and Evan
These two are making life tough on pitchers this October.
Upton and Longoria have combined to hit nine home runs in the postseason, a record for a pair of teammates under 25 and tied for the fourth most by teammates of any age in postseason history.
Rich Aurilia and Barry Bonds hold the record with 14 hit in 2002.
Albert Pujols and Larry Walker combined to hit 12 in 2004.
Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon hit 11 in 2002.
Youkilis stopped
Kevin Youkilis was 0-for-3, ending his ALCS hitting streak at nine. Youkilis also snapped a streak of six consecutive ALCS games with at least one RBI.
Struggling Sox
The Red Sox allowed nine runs in back-to-back playoff games for the first time in their history. They narrowly avoided being shutout for the first time in the postseason since Game 5 of the 1918 World Series. It was also the second time the Red Sox allowed four home runs in one postseason game.
Knuckling under
Expect to see Fernando Perez in right field tonight when the Rays face knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Also, don't be surprised to see Perez and Willy Aybar, two switch-hitters, bat right-handed against the right-handed Wakefield.
They did that in a game last month and both homered off Wakefield.
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