By RONALD BLUM - AP Baseball Writer
Boston Red Sox's Julio Lugo (23) pats Jacoby Ellsbury on the head after Game 3 of the baseball World Series against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. The Red Sox won 10-5 to take a 3-0 lead in the series. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
DENVER -- Mile high or sea level, these Boston Red Sox can't be stopped. The Red Sox made Coors Field their own pinball palace, spraying balls to every part of the park and moving within one win of another World Series sweep.
On a night when rookies ruled, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia sparked the Red Sox from the top of the order, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Boston beat Colorado 10-5 on Saturday for a 3-0 Series lead.
Still, the Red Sox weren't quite ready to celebrate.
"We don't want to eat the cake before your birthday," Manny Ramirez said.
Ellsbury became the first rookie in 61 years with four hits in a Series game, getting three of Boston's seven doubles. Pedroia had three hits, including a bunt single that helped spark a six-run third against Josh Fogg, who allowed 12 of 19 batters to reach.
Colorado was down 6-0 in the third and seemingly out but came back with two runs in the sixth. The Rockies then closed to 6-5 when Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer in the seventh on Hideki Okajima's first pitch.
"It looked like we were hanging on for dear life," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
But the Rockies' chance to get back into the World Series vanished into Coors Field's thin air.
Ellsbury lofted an RBI double down the right-field line off Brian Fuentes in the eighth that just eluded Brad Hawpe's attempt at a sliding, backhand catch, and Pedroia followed with a two-run double to right that made it 9-5. Jason Varitek added a sacrifice fly in the ninth of a game that took 4 hours, 19 minutes - the longest nine-inning game in Series history.
"We got a little comfortable," Ellsbury said. "It was big to respond after their big inning."
It was a night that resembled Coors' pre-humidifier days, when it was baseball's premier launching pad.
"With their offense, no lead is safe," Pedroia said.
On Oct. 27 three years ago at old Busch Stadium, the Red Sox completed a sweep of St. Louis for their first World Series title in 86 years. Having won seven straight Series games for the first time in franchise history, Boston will try for its seventh championship Sunday. Jon Lester starts for the Red Sox against Aaron Cook in a matchup of pitchers who made it back to the majors after major medical problems.
The 22 previous teams that took a 3-0 World Series lead all went on to win, 19 with sweeps.
"It looks like we're in groundbreaking territory," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said.
If the Rockies are the National League's best, the senior circuit has a lot of catching up to do. Maybe it is the rust of a record eight-day layoff for the Rockies, or maybe the Red Sox really are a league above.
Colorado has been outscored 25-7 and is batting just .222. Boston's batters have been bruisers, hitting .352 in the Series with 16 doubles. The Rockies were the talk of baseball with 21 wins in 22 games coming into the Series, but they've gone into reverse, looking more like the fourth-place team they were in mid-September.
"After 21 of 22, four games doesn't seem like a whole lot," Fuentes said.
Boston has won six straight since falling behind Cleveland 3-1 in the AL championship series. While the Yankees owned the 20th century, the Red Sox are one win from becoming the first team to win two titles in the 21st.
"We have to continue our focus the same way," Varitek said.
Francona, the first manager to start 7-0 in Series history, made all the right moves. Ellsbury, who hit ninth in the opener and No. 8 in Game 2, moved to the top of the order and became only the third rookie with four hits in a Series game, following Freddie Lindstrom in 1924 and Joe Garagiola in 1946. David Ortiz, kept in the lineup despite the loss of the designated hitter in the NL city, doubled in the first run and flawlessly handled both his chances at first base before Kevin Youkilis replaced him in the bottom of the sixth.
Hurdle also made some moves. He benched center fielder Willy Taveras, started Cory Sullivan in center, moved Kaz Matsui - Dice-K's old Seibu teammate - to leadoff and batted Troy Tulowitzki second.
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Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima pitches during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
Colorado Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe can't catch a double by Boston Red Sox's Jacoby Ellsbury to drive in a run in the eighth inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo
Colorado Rockies Matt Holliday reacts after flying out to end the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox Manny Ramirez signals himself safe after being tagged out by Colorado Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba dives to tag out while trying to score on a Jason Varitek single in the third inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury watches his RBI double against Colorado Rockies pitcher Brian Fuentes in the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Boston's Julio Lugo scored on the hit. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
Colorado Rockies Colorado Rockies Matt Holliday watches his three run home run against Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima in the seventh inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. David J. Phillip / AP Photo
Colorado Rockies' Matt Herges pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka singles off Colorado Rockies pitcher Josh Fogg to drive in two runs in the third inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox David Ortiz is congratulated by teammates Dustin Pedroia (15) and J.D. Drew after Ortiz scored on an RBI single by Mike Lowell during the third inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Ed Andrieski / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox's Daisuke Matsuzaka hits a two-run scoring single during the third inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Eric Gay / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox's Daisuke Matsuzaka pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo
Boston Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell tags out Colorado Rockies' Kazuo Matsui on a rundown between second and third base in the first inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. Matsui got caught off second on a ground ball to the pitcher by the Rockies' Matt Holliday. David Zalubowski / AP Photo
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