Jacoby Ellsbury makes a diving catch of Mark Teixeira's line drive in the eighth inning of Game 1.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

ANAHEIM -- Jacoby Ellsbury most definitely is not more powerful than a locomotive. He's not as fast as a speeding bullet, either, even though it often seems that way.

Whether on the basepaths or in the outfield, the kid can fly.

"I ran the 60-yard dash in college," he said. "My split time for the 40 was 4.2"

He might have beaten that time covering the distance he had to go to make a sliding grab of Mark Teixeira's leadoff blooper in the bottom of the eighth, when the Red Sox were clinging to a tenuous 2-1 lead.

"I really didn't think he had any chance to catch that ball," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Ellsbury admitted that he wasn't sure he did, either.

"I was just hoping to get there," he said. "I got a good jump on the ball and was fortunate to hold on to it."

He also got a good jump when stealing two bases -- one in the fifth inning, and another in the ninth. Because of his speed, Francona often gives Ellsbury the green light to run on his own.

"I've shown I can run -- and run at the right times," Ellsbury said, "so he gives me a lot of leniency."

What Ellsbury gives the Sox is a leadoff man who gets on base often and then gets around them quickly.

"He's phenomenal," said Dustin Pedroia, who usually hits second in the Boston batting order, behind Ellsbury. "He takes over games with his speed."

Ellsbury truly was a rookie phenom last year, when he was nothing short of phenomenal in Boston's World Series sweep of the Rockies.

After hitting .353, with nine stolen bases, in 33 games during the regular season, he batted .438 (7 for 16) against Colorado, hitting four doubles, scoring four runs and driving in three.

He had another big game last night in Boston's 4-1 win over the Angels, opening the game with a double off the wall and finishing with three hits, a run scored, an RBI, those two stolen bases and that fabulous, sliding catch in center field.

"I don't know what it is with him and the postseason," Pedroia said admiringly, "but he kind of steps his game up about 15 notches."

To the point where you have to wonder if perhaps he changes into his uniform in a phone booth, instead of the clubhouse.