Ellsbury stuck in neutral

Stolen bases have been scarce lately

Missed opportunity Jacoby Ellsbury struck out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.

He's slowed, but then, so has everyone else.

With the deep freeze being put on Jacoby Ellsbury's stolen base total - he's been at 35 since July 1 - it's surprising he remains the American League leader, one ahead of Ichiro Suzuki. But it's also surprising just how few stolen bases, or stolen base attempts, the fleet-footed center fielder has had recently.

His monthlong slump and drop in on-base percentage hasn't helped, but it's not as if he hasn't been on base. He's gone from eight steals in four days (May 28 to June 1) to almost nothing. Pitchers are still paying attention to him - witness two pitchouts in Sunday's game against the Yankees - but he hasn't been running.

"They know I'm on first base," said Ellsbury, who was 1 for 4 in the Red Sox' 7-5 loss to the Angels last night. "Whether I steal or not, it's taking some pitchers out of their rhythm. They're paying a little more attention to me, maybe giving guys a couple more fastballs to hit. Instead of painting one on the corner, they might see more plate.

"The biggest compliment you can get as a base stealer is them pitching out on you. I mean, they're saying, 'Hey, we'd rather give you a ball right here and have a chance to throw you out and get the hitter into a hitter's count, rather than you stealing that bag.' "

Added Ellsbury, "It's nothing I'm worried about. It's not like I got any slower. I think I got faster." Then he laughed.

Though Ellsbury was successful the first 25 attempts of his career, 16 in 2008, he has been caught stealing in four of his last five attempts. Before June 15, Ellsbury had 33 steals, had been caught just three times. Since then, Ellsbury has stolen two bases and been caught four times.

Ellsbury was caught stealing July 3-5 in each of his three attempts.

"I don't doubt that maybe it messes with your confidence a little bit," manager Terry Francona said.

Francona said Ellsbury "directly helped us" by causing pitchouts from the Yankees.

And Ellsbury is pretty sure his total won't get stuck at 35.

"I know I'm going to steal some bases through the course of the rest of the season," said Ellsbury, who drove in his first run since July 9 last night. "I'm not worried about it."

Tejada not on deck

Despite reports in the Houston Chronicle and on ESPNDeportes, talks between the Red Sox and the Houston Astros regarding shortstop Miguel Tejada are not serious. Though the Sox will be without starting shortstop Julio Lugo (torn left quadriceps muscle) for possibly another month, rookie Jed Lowrie and veteran Alex Cora have filled in capably.

Tejada told the Chronicle, "I wouldn't be intimidated to go play in Boston. But I'm not thinking about that right now."

Side order

Bartolo Colon came through his side session yesterday and appears to be in line for game action in the next week or so. The pitcher has been on the disabled list since June 17 with a lower back strain, injured taking a swing while he was at the plate.

"I think we've been trying to go at a pace where we don't have setbacks," Francona said. "Unfortunately a couple times this year we start him up and there's been some [thing]. There's been some arms issues in the past that you don't want to flare up because he's favoring his side. Just try to do it right."

Back in the swing

David Ortiz had a single and a double and now has multiple hits in each of his last three games. He has hits in all four games since returning from the disabled list, going 7 for 16 . . . The six runs allowed in the sixth inning last night matched the Sox' single-inning high, which was done twice this season . . . With his solo home run in the ninth inning, the 510th of his career, Manny Ramírez stands one behind Mel Ott for 22d all time

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