For once, Ellsbury's timing was off

Pitchout helps end base-stealing run

It took a pitchout. A pitchout and a perfect throw and a perfect tag. And Jacoby Ellsbury was out. Though he wasn't quite sure how to act or where to go.

"I didn't know what to do," he said. "I didn't know if I should run back to the dugout."

He can be excused for his moment of confusion. Because it wasn't just any caught stealing, 2-4 in your program. It was the first time the fleet outfielder had been caught in his major league career. Ellsbury had stolen 25 straight bases, 16 of them this season, before Milwaukee catcher Jason Kendall made that perfect connection with second baseman Rickie Weeks in the fourth inning yesterday. It was the most consecutive steals without being caught by a Red Sox player at the start of his career since 1920, when steals became an official statistic.

"At some point, if you're a base-stealer, you're going to get thrown out," manager Terry Francona said, after the Red Sox had finished their sweep of the Brewers with an 11-7 win. "We talk a lot about not wanting to run into outs, but we don't want to take his aggressiveness away. He's been phenomenal. They picked the right pitch and got him. That'll happen from time to time.

"He's the type of runner that's making teams alter their approach. And we're OK with that."

Having just hit a two-run single to right field to give the Sox a 6-4 lead, Ellsbury was standing on first base with two outs. The Brewers knew he was likely to run.

Carlos Villanueva's first pitch to Dustin Pedroia was a ball. Then the Brewers starter threw over to first base. He threw a called strike to Pedroia. He threw over to first base. Then, with a 1-and-1 count to the Red Sox second baseman, he pitched out.

Ellsbury was running.

"I don't know how many times I've beat the pitchout," Ellsbury said. "If I get a good jump, it still takes a perfect throw. There's been a bunch. Probably five or six [pitchouts]. I notice. It takes a perfect catch, perfect throw. Give 'em credit."

Though Ellsbury saw the pitchout as he broke toward second, Ellsbury couldn't stop. He knew he would be caught in a rundown if he hesitated, so he had to hope that Kendall misfired or paused just enough.

Though Ellsbury didn't get that extra bit of luck, it wasn't that far-fetched an idea. Kendall isn't exactly Ivan Rodriguez in his ability to gun down runners.

Although Kendall has caught 16 runners this season against 18 stolen bases (including a steal by Julio Lugo in the sixth), his career numbers are abysmal. In stints with the Cubs and A's last season, Kendall caught just 20 runners while 111 bases were swiped against him. For his career, he has caught 413 runners, with 1,020 runners taking the extra bag.

Although Ellsbury was aware that he hadn't yet been caught, he wasn't quite sure where he was in relation to Tim Raines, who was the last player to be so good at base theft so early in his career. Between 1979 and 1981, Raines had been successful on his first 27 attempts.

But for the Sox, it's not just Ellsbury. The ability to steal is a much improved feature of this team. Boston is tied for third in the league with 37 steals, five behind leader Tampa Bay. Ellsbury is tied for second in the AL with 16 steals, and Coco Crisp and Lugo each have six. Even Pedroia has five.

"It definitely puts pressure on the defense," Ellsbury said. "When they give us a walk, we turn it into a double, possibly a triple."

He was trying to make one of those doubles out of his single yesterday. But, this time, it just didn't quite work.

"I guess if you steal enough, you're going to get caught eventually," Ellsbury said. "So I'll start a new one tomorrow."

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.