AP Photo/Mike Carlson

David Ortiz belted a three-run homer in the first inning of the Red Sox's 13-5 win over the Rays.

TURNING TO BIG PAPI

By Mark Simon, ESPN Research

September and October typically have been the time when David Ortiz's hits have mattered most to the Red Sox. Though the hits have been fewer this season, they've started to matter more down the stretch as the Red Sox fight for the American League East title with the Rays.

Ortiz set the tone in Boston's 13-5 win over the Rays on Monday with a three-run home run in the first inning against Scott Kazmir. Ortiz moved into second place on the all-time DH home run list, passing Edgar Martinez.

The Red Sox have gotten great contributions from Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia, but now that the season is entering the final two weeks, Ortiz knows this is the time when he can make the biggest difference. The Red Sox have won 15 of their past 16 games in which Ortiz has driven in a run.

Ortiz in Red Sox's 10 September wins
BA	.282
HRs	2
RBIs	15
Runs	8

WHITE SOX'S YOUNG PITCHERS RESPOND TO CHALLENGE

By Chris Singleton, ESPN

The White Sox's trade of Jon Garland was really a move that came from the top, from owner Jerry Reinsdorf down through general manager Ken Williams. Garland was going to be a free agent after this season, and I never really thought upper management loved him. Not that they didn't like him. They appreciated what he did and, as long as he won games, everything was OK. But there are certain players that organizations attach themselves to. For instance, Mark Buehrle was one. Buehrle was going to be a free agent, and it was becoming a distraction during last season.

In 2007, they had said they wouldn't talk contracts during the season, but because of the pressure that was mounting from the fan base and media, and the fact that Buehrle was pitching so well, they decided to go ahead and sign him to an extension during the season. I think the White Sox didn't want to go through that again this year with Garland, especially with a guy they didn't like as much as Buehrle.

With Garland's departure, John Danks and Gavin Floyd really had to step forward. Last year, you could see a difference in Floyd after his second time up from the minors. He was starting to settle in and feel comfortable.

Pitching coach Don Cooper is a master as far as working with guys and helping them get in the right frame of mind and executing the fundamentals they work on in the bullpen. He and Floyd, who pitches on Tuesday against Andy Pettitte and the Yankees, built a strong relationship. That relationship has really helped Floyd to flourish. That deer-in-the-headlights look started to disappear, and this year you don't see the uncertainty. He's been perhaps the team's best pitcher since the All-Star break.

Danks had a great first few months of the season, but he has tapered off a little bit and hasn't been quite as effective as of late. (He did, however, pitch well Sunday night against the Tigers, tossing six shutout innings in a game the White Sox won.)

Coming into the season, on top of the White Sox losing Garland, the team was wondering what they had in these two young guys. They knew Danks tired out down the stretch his rookie year, so they didn't know how he'd be in his sophomore season. They saw some promising things in Floyd, but they hoped he could establish some consistency.

Overall, the Garland move was made for the future. You want to be competitive now, but you also have to realize that you have to look down the road. That's what Williams has done by investing in these younger, cheaper pitchers who have potential. This way, the White Sox are built to compete for a longer period of time.

Past Baseball Tonight Clubhouses: Sept. 14 | Sept. 11 | Sept. 10 | Sept. 9 | Sept. 8 | Sept. 7

TOUCH 'EM ALL

Who went deep? Keep track of all the home runs hit each day on "Baseball Tonight" and on the Baseball Tonight Clubhouse page.

Click here to find out who hit the longest home run. For more, check out the Home Run Tracker page.

Home Run Tracker
NAME	HR	OPP	PITCHER	SITUATION
J. Edmonds, ChC	18	Hou	Moehler	Top 5: 2-1, 1 Outs. None on.
D. Lee, ChC	19	Hou	Moehler	Top 6: 1-0, 0 Outs. 1 on.
G. Soto, ChC	22	Hou	Sampson	Top 6: 3-1, 1 Outs. 1 on.
D. Ortiz, Bos	19	TB	Kazmir	Top 1: 1-1, 0 Outs. 2 on.
M. Lowell, Bos	17	TB	Kazmir	Top 1: 0-1, 1 Outs. None on.
X. Nady, NYY	11	CWS	Buehrle	Bot 2: 3-1, 0 Outs. 1 on.
D. Wise, CWS	4	NYY	Aceves	Top 4: 0-0, 0 Outs. 1 on.
K. Shoppach, Cle	21	Min	Slowey	Bot 4: 0-1, 2 Outs. None on.
A. Iwamura, TB	6	Bos	Matsuzaka	Bot 3: 1-2, 1 Outs. None on.
J. Bay, Bos	8	TB	Kazmir	Top 4: 0-0, 0 Outs. None on.
J. Varitek, Bos	13	TB	Kazmir	Top 4: 3-2, 0 Outs. 1 on.
K. Youkilis, Bos	26	TB	Talbot	Top 4: 0-0, 1 Outs. 1 on.
S. Choo, Cle	11	Min	Slowey	Bot 5: 3-2, 2 Outs. 1 on.
J. Pierre, LA	1	Pit	Salas	Top 6: 0-1, 1 Outs. None on.
J. Ellsbury, Bos	8	TB	Talbot	Top 5: 0-0, 2 Outs. None on.
A. Gonzalez, SD	33	Col	Reynolds	Top 3: 0-1, 0 Outs. 2 on.
G. Sheffield, Det	17	Tex	Rupe	Top 4: 1-0, 1 Outs. 2 on.
E. Dukes, Was	12	NYM	Sanchez	Bot 7: 3-2, 2 Outs. 2 on.
M. Antonelli, SD	1	Col	Hirsh	Top 3: 3-1, 1 Outs. 1 on.
T. Metcalf, Tex	5	Det	Willis	Bot 4: 2-1, 2 Outs. 2 on.
J. Mauer, Min	9	Cle	Lewis	Top 9: 1-1, 1 Outs. None on.
T. Tulowitzki, Col	7	SD	LeBlanc	Bot 4: 1-1, 1 Outs. Gr. Slam.
A. LaRoche, Pit	20	LA	Penny	Bot 9: 1-2, 2 Outs. 1 on.
J. Ruggiano, TB	2	Bos	Smith	Bot 6: 1-1, 1 Outs. 1 on.
T. Teagarden, Tex	6	Det	Glover	Bot 6: 0-0, 1 Outs. Gr. Slam.
D. Johnson, TB	2	Bos	Smith	Bot 7: 1-2, 2 Outs. 1 on.
J. Upton, Ari	13	SF	Hennessey	Bot 4: 1-0, 0 Outs. None on.
C. Iannetta, Col	16	SD	Ekstrom	Bot 8: 1-1, 0 Outs. None on.
D. Macias, SD	2	Col	Register	Top 9: 0-0, 0 Outs. None on.
A. Dunn, Ari	37	SF	Hennessey	Bot 8: 0-0, 2 Outs. 1 on.