Ellsbury Playing in EL Title Series
Christina Crockett
9/12/2006
Madras Pioneer
The baseball season keeps going and going for Madras native Jacoby Ellsbury.
The centerfielder is playing in the Eastern League (AA) championship series for Portland (Maine) starting Tuesday. When that is finished, Ellsbury will have less than a month off before playing in the Arizona Fall League. Ellsbury will play for the Peoria Javelinas starting on Oct. 10.
First, Ellsbury will be part of a best-of-five series between the Boston Red Sox affiliate and Akron (a Cleveland Indian affiliate).
The first two games (Tuesday and Wednesday) are in Akron. The series resumes in Portland Friday for the third game. The fourth and fifth games, if necessary, follow the next two days.
Portland moved into the championship series by beating Trenton 3-1 in the Northern Division championship series on Sept. 6-9. Trenton won the opener but Ellsbury was a big part of victories Thursday and Friday.
Portland drew even with a 10-3 victory last Thursday. Ellsbury had a rare two-hit inning in a six-run seventh of Thursday's win. Both were singles, a lead-off hit and then driving in two runs with two outs.
In Friday's 5-4 win, Ellsbury was responsible for a quick 4-2 Sea Dog lead. He led off the home half of the first with a walk, stole second and scored a run. Ellsbury then drilled a two-out homer in the second.
In the series, Ellsbury went 4 for 15 with four runs, the homer, three RBI and he stole two bases.
Ellsbury has played at Portland since mid-July. He was called up from Wilmington of the A Carolina League.
In 50 regular-season games at Portland, Ellsbury hit .308 with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 19 RBI. He also walked 24 times and struck out 25 with a .387 on-base percentage. His 16 stolen bases, in 24 attempts, put him in the Eastern League's top 20.
Soon after the Eastern League title series, Ellsbury will report to Arizona. The fall league, in its 15th season, spans from Oct. 17 to Nov. 18. Ellsbury will be part of a Peoria team with players from the Atlanta, Boston, Florida, and Seattle franchises. He is the only Boston-affiliated outfielder.
His Seattle teammates include pitcher Eric O'Flaherty of Walla Walla, Wash., Craig James, Stephen Kahn; infielders Michael Garciaparra and Matt Tuiasosopo plus outfielder Michael Wilson. The Arizona League features an all-star game Oct. 27.