Ellsbury in running

TORONTO - Three games into this nine-game trip, Jacoby Ellsbury has three steals. There might be a good reason for that. Ask Ellsbury where he most likes to steal bases and he puts Camden Yards near the top of the list, along with the dirt of Seattle and any of the turf fields, including the site of this weekend's series, Toronto's Rogers Centre.

Two of his steals came Tuesday night, giving Ellsbury a club-record 12 multi-steal games this season.

After he went 34 days without a steal, from July 1 to Aug. 5, he has six in his last 12 games, including two two-steal games. The recent results were certainly aided by an uptick in his hitting, from .226 during the drought to .341.

"When I'm getting on base, I'm looking to go," the rookie outfielder said. "Especially if you see something from the pitcher, if you have a good read on him, have a good feel for him. Every time you get on, you're going to use it, going to try to attempt it. Somewhat like hitting, pitching, you build momentum, feel a little more comfortable. I don't want to say comfortable, but it's just easier to read the more times you're on base."

Sounds easy, Ellsbury said with a smile. Get on base, steal a bag.

It's not quite that simple, though. There's one place it all starts: with the jump. With it, a runner is golden. Without it, stealing is far more dicey.

"That's what it's all about," Ellsbury said. "Any field, any surface. It's all about the jump. You get a good jump, over 90 percent I'm going to be safe. So the fields that are tougher, either they wet them down a lot, they're soggy, or they're just loose dirt. Loose dirt and you can't get a [grip]. You wear your spikes to get a good grip, and it doesn't do too much - it's like you're wearing shoes."

Ellsbury smiles again when another number comes up: 54. That's the season steals record for the Red Sox, set by Tommy Harper in 1973. Ellsbury, who has 41 steals, won't say he's gunning for it, but there's no question that with 35 games left, he has a chance. But opposing pitchers aren't going to make it easy for him.

"Everybody's slide stepping when he gets on, and he hasn't run into a lot of outs," manager Terry Francona said. "How that's affecting their command, I've got to believe it's helping. It's like David Ortiz. You're not going to throw him strike one on a fastball anymore."

Ross to Pawtucket

The Red Sox signed catcher David Ross, 31, to a minor league deal and assigned him to Pawtucket. Ross hit .231 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 52 games with the Reds this season before being released. Ross will be called up in September when rosters expand. Another Triple A catcher (either Dusty Brown or George Kottaras) probably will join Boston when Pawtucket's season is over. The Red Sox are unwilling to stick an untested catcher into a pennant race, which prompted the interest in Ross . . . Paul Byrd will make his third straight start against the Blue Jays tonight. Byrd is the first pitcher to make three consecutive starts against the same team since the Padres' Justin Germano against the Rockies from May 27 to Sept. 9, 2004. The Yankees' Kevin Brown was the last American League pitcher to do it, against Tampa Bay from March 31 to April 14, 2004 . . . With six more doubles, Dustin Pedroia will set the Red Sox record for a second baseman. Jody Reed (45) set the mark in 1990.

 

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