Breakout night for Youkilis

He ends slump with three hits

Kevin Youkilis held B.J. Upton to an infield single by knocking down his shot in the eighth. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The numbers didn't matter to Kevin Youkilis. He understands himself and knows better than anyone what he is capable of.

The zero hits in 17 at-bats against James Shields, the Rays' starter last night? "You're due," he said. The four hits in 18 at-bats during the American League Division Series? "I felt like I hit the ball all right," he said.

So Youkilis was not surprised by his performance in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series, when he roped three hits in four at-bats, clobbering two doubles overall and two hits off Shields, previously his nemesis. His second double, off reliever J.P. Howell in the eighth inning, gave the Red Sox an insurance run and made the final margin 2-0.

Given his history against Shields and his supposed struggles in the ALDS, Youkilis was not expected to be an offensive hero last night. But until the fifth, he was the only player in the game with a hit, and at that point, he was 2 for 2.

"That's what he's done all year," shortstop Jed Lowrie said. "When nobody else is hitting, he's been a guy that will break us out of that. He has a knack of doing that. When nobody else is doing it, he's the guy that is going to get the hit."

The Angels held Youkilis in check in the four-game ALDS, and Youkilis nearly matched his output for that series last night. And sure, he was hitless in his career against Shields, but he didn't care.

"I don't think about that stuff when I play," Youkilis said. "You can't put that in your head. That's something you put on the ticker or something. You've just got to go out there with that [attitude] that you're due.

"He's a tough pitcher to face. He's one of those guys that's going to get you out a lot. You've just got to go up there and battle, grind it out."

Youkilis had been fooled by Shields's devilish changeup in the past, so he told himself he would pounce on his other pitches. He laced a fastball to the opposite field in the first, the ball bouncing into the right-field stands for a ground-rule double. In his next at-bat against Shields, he smashed a curveball, a line drive up the middle, for a single.

"He took some really good swings tonight," manager Terry Francona said.

Youkilis came to the plate in the eighth in a key situation, the Red Sox clinging to a 1-0 lead with two men on. Howell had just entered. Youkilis knew from studying Howell he was tough - he threw a two-seam fastball and a strong changeup. Youkilis told himself to move his hands back early, preparing for the fastball and allowing himself to react on Howell's other pitches.

Howell threw Youkilis a curve, and it hung high in the strike zone. Youkilis pounced. He pulled it to left field, heavy on topspin. When it left his bat, he was certain the ball was going to land for a hit.

Youkilis sprinted to first and realized where the ball was headed: toward Carl Crawford, one of the fastest men in baseball. "He's not the most friendly guy to hitters," Youkilis said. The ball dipped toward the turf, but Crawford still closed. He dived. The ball bounced off Crawford's glove and trickled away. Dustin Pedroia scored, and the Sox could feel comfortable.

The three hits seemingly broke Youkilis out of a mini-slump. He knew better.

Despite his struggles in the ALDS, he felt confident in his approach. One ball he hit to right-center in Anaheim he thought may have carried for a home run in Fenway Park.

And he knew he was getting quality at-bats. He has faced 105 pitches in 24 plate appearances during the playoffs, 4.35 per plate appearance. Only two players averaged more during the regular season - Bobby Abreu and Nick Swisher.

"I don't think you put pressure on yourself," Youkilis said. "You can't put yourself above the team."

Last night, when no one else could and no one thought he would, Youkilis carried the Red Sox' offense.