Fast becoming a real favorite

He didn't even slow down.

In the fourth inning last night when a pitch from Texas reliever Willie Eyre skipped away from catcher Gerald Laird and toward the Rangers dugout, quicksilver rookie Jacoby Ellsbury came barreling around from second, legs churning and home plate in his sights.

Laird's throw to the plate was low and Ellsbury slid in with the fourth run of the night for the Sox in a 7-3 victory over the Rangers.

"I saw the wild pitch early and I kind of took a [turn] like I was going to go from home to second, around third base, and I went for it," said Ellsbury, who had never scored from second on a wild pitch in his baseball career.

"I saw DeMarlo [Hale, third base coach] waving me through pretty much right when I was almost already by him, but I made my mind up early that I was going home."

The crown jewel of the Red Sox minor league system -- playing in his third game in the majors since being called up Saturday -- hasn't run the 40-yard dash since college, when he covered the distance in 4.2 seconds. But you don't need a stopwatch to see the havoc Ellsbury creates on the basepaths -- and he was there four times last night, with two singles and a pair of walks.

In the third Ellsbury chopped the ball just over the outstretched glove of starter Brandon McCarthy toward charging second baseman Desi Relaford, who unsuccessfully tried a barehand play to beat Ellsbury as he zipped down the line.

"It's impressive to see somebody just running like that," said shortstop Julio Lugo. "It's good to have him here."

Ellsbury found out he was going to be at Fenway just hours before his major league debut Saturday, and immediately drove to Boston -- no speculation on whether he was exceeding the posted speed limit on I-95.

He was summoned to temporarily take the place of Coco Crisp in center field, while Crisp nursed the left thumb he injured diving for a fly ball in Seattle. Crisp, who once ran a 4.2 40, hasn't yet challenged Ellsbury to a footrace, but thinks it would be a photo finish.

"We're like Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia -- about the same speed," Crisp said. "Just with real fast people."

Ellsbury, who also recorded his first major league stolen base last night, said he felt more comfortable at the plate in his third game. He was more patient, twice working the count full before drawing walks.

"The first two nights, no matter how calm you are, it is the first time in front of that many people and it just takes some little adjustments," Ellsbury said. "That's the biggest thing, just slowing the game down. It is the same game, just in front of a lot more people and a lot more riding on the game, obviously."

And Ellsbury figures to be in the land where games matter for the foreseeable future, even when Crisp returns to the lineup. He wouldn't be a bad option for a late-inning pinch runner, and manager Terry Francona suggested that he sees Ellsbury playing more than just center field.

"With that speed, if he just has good at-bats and uses the whole field, he'll be fine wherever he plays," Francona said.

Still, the rookie doesn't have a name on his locker and knows a trip back to Pawtucket could come at any moment.

"That's the job of a minor leaguer, to come in here and fill in for Coco," Ellsbury said. "That's kinda the way it goes, so whatever happens happens. They haven't told me anything yet."

The only real hiccup Ellsbury has had thus far was on a miscommunication with J.D. Drew in right center on Sunday when they almost collided, leading to an error charged to Drew that allowed Sammy Sosa to score from second.

Last night Brad Wilkerson lofted a ball near the same spot, but Ellsbury called off Drew and caught the ball for the final out of the game.

Daniel Malloy can be reached at dmalloy@globe.com.