Progress is slow to come

Ortiz's triple could be sign of revival

David Ortiz rounding second base and lumbering toward third wasn't a pretty sight. But it was certainly a welcome one, prompting a standing ovation from fans at Fenway Park last night for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. With the Red Sox trailing the Rays by double digits in the seventh inning, any hit by any member of the home team was cause for celebration. Ortiz, who had been hitless in his previous 14 at-bats, gave fans a glimmer of hope with a triple down the right-field line.

Maybe his first hit of the series meant Ortiz was finally emerging from his slump. Maybe it was a sign the rest of the Red Sox would soon start hitting. But when Ortiz stepped to the plate for his next at-bat, he struck out looking, eliciting a collective groan from the crowd. Unfortunately for the Sox, the Ortiz triple turned out to be more aberration than trend-setter in the 13-4 loss.

"The problem is everybody is focused on Papi not hitting," said Ortiz. "To tell you the truth, both the series with Anaheim and now with the Rays, Papi doesn't come through with plays all the time. I might come through four or five times the whole series. That's not going to change the game when you have a lead of nine or 10 runs."

In two demoralizing losses at Fenway, Boston has posted just 14 hits, compared to 27 for Tampa Bay. No one player is at fault. And no lineup change could help the Sox last night. Jacoby Ellsbury, who did not start Game 4 in his customary leadoff spot, is 0 for 14 in the ALCS. J.D. Drew went 0 for 5 in his place. After starting the series 6 for 8, Kevin Youkilis has one hit in his last 10 at-bats. Then there is Ortiz, whose playoff hitless streak was the longest of his career.

By scoring just once against the Rays Monday, the Red Sox matched their lowest run total in a playoff game since 2004. It also was the second time in the last 48 playoff games they had been held to one run. Last night, Ortiz's lone hit helped ensure the Sox would score more than one. But they didn't produce nearly enough. In fact, no Boston player recorded more than one hit, while Carl Crawford (5 for 5) and Willy Aybar (4 for 5) boosted Tampa Bay's total and impressed Ortiz. Meanwhile, Terry Francona praised the Rays' starting pitching for keeping the Red Sox hitters in check.

"[Andy] Sonnanstine, he threw a backdoor cutter to our lefties," said Francona. "To our righties, he threw in enough within the two-seam movement to keep them off the plate, threw the slider, the cutter.

"He's got a lot of deception in his delivery, but what he does really well, there's a lot of movement in that delivery, and he keeps it intact. He throws a ball or two and starts to get out of whack, he gathers himself, stays over the rubber, and he's obviously very confident against us right now. You can tell he feels good about himself, as he should."

What starting pitcher wouldn't feel good about facing the Red Sox batters right now? They have a day to regroup and refocus. Prior to Game 4, in discussing the lineup change and the struggles of players like Ortiz and Ellsbury, Francona mentioned that on the nights when some players struggle, others need to step up. It was not an original observation, but it was true. Francona and the Red Sox' struggling hitters hope a short break before Game 5 will be enough for some hitters to find better form at the plate. Otherwise, it will be a long time between at-bats.

"There's no room for error," said Dustin Pedroia. "We've got to find a way, grind out at-bats, and keep them from scoring early . . . What's there to stay loose about? Hit the panic button. We've got to play better."

Shira Springer can be reached at springer@globe.com.