BOSTON — It isn’t so much that David Ortiz has been a “doubles” machine over the last two games.

But the important part of Ortiz bashing three doubles over that span, and the part that should concern the Sox’ opposition in the first round of the playoffs, is that all three of those doubles were hit to either left field or left-center.

When a hitter can drive the ball to the opposite field on pitches on the outer half of the plate the way Ortiz has been doing, it’s an indication that he not only is seeing the ball well, but is staying on it as long as possible, keeping his front side in.

Earlier this year, Big Papi was unable to do that as consistently. He was opening up his hips, pulling off the ball as his front shoulder turned toward right field, resulting in weak fly balls to left when he did hit the ball in that direction.

But when the opposition tries to pitch him inside, Ortiz also has been able to turn on those pitches and drive them a long way, notably a two-run homer Tuesday night and a solo rocket to right last night. He also pulled a middle-in single to right last night.

On a similar note, it was clear from Manny Ramirez’s first-inning at-bat that he, in his third game back after a 24-game absence because of a strained left oblique, is feeling more comfortable at the plate, his timing returning.

Over his first two games back, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Ramirez seemed content to stay back and hit the ball up the middle and to right. The plan worked. He was 4-for-5.

Last night, though, he turned on the first pitch he saw from the Twins’ Boof Bonser, ripping a hard grounder toward the shortstop hole. That third baseman Brian Buscher made a diving stop and turned it into a forceout didn’t alter the fact that Ramirez clearly is happy enough with his timing at the plate that he feels he can pull pitches, which is more bad news for the Sox’ first-round playoff opponent.

Fastball the culprit

Josh Beckett had zip on his fastball, at least according to the radar gun. He was consistently at 94-96 mph.

But most of the Twins’ damage against Beckett — 10 hits, 5 runs in 6 innings — was accomplished by bashing his fastball. And the hits were sharply struck, none a cheapie.

In the first inning, Jason Bartlett singled to right (95-mph fastball) and Jason Kubel tripled him home (94). In the second, Michael Cuddyer launched a homer over the Monster seats (96). In the third, Bartlett doubled (96) and Justin Morneau singled (94). In the fourth, Brian Buscher ripped a lineout to short (94). In the fifth, Kubel was robbed of a hit on his liner to third (94). And in the sixth, Garrett Jones crushed a solo homer into the center-field bleachers (96).

This is not to say Beckett didn’t get any outs on his fastball. But the only late life it had was when it was ricocheting off the Twins’ bats.

Beckett, though, will have plenty of time to rest up and recapture that late life. He’ll be the Red Sox’ starter in Game One of the playoffs, either Wednesday or Thursday next week.

A head-scratcher

Interesting strategy by the Twins in the eighth.

With Eric Hinske at third and Julio Lugo at first and two outs with the Sox trailing, 5-4, Minnesota allowed Lugo to steal second on Joe Nathan’s first pitch to Dustin Pedroia. The Twins didn’t even bother to cover the bag, even though Lugo represented the winning run.

It was the second time in the game Minnesota had allowed an uncontested stolen base.

Keeping the fielders from moving to cover the bag kept Pedroia from having more infield holes to shoot at, but it also had more to do with the fact that Matthew LeCroy was behind the plate.

LeCroy was the catcher who allowed seven stolen bases and committed two throwing errors in a game for the Washington Nationals last season. He was taken out of the game in the middle of an inning, prompting a teary manager Frank Robinson to say how he hated to embarrass LeCroy that way.

The stolen base didn’t prove fruitful for the Sox. Pedroia popped up.

Error on the basepaths

Jason Kubel’s baserunning gaffe cost the Twins a chance at a second quick run in the first inning.

Kubel, batting second in the Twins’ order, was at third base with none out after lofting an RBI triple off the center-field fence. The Sox played their infield back, giving the Twins a run on a groundout, especially to the right side.

Torii Hunter hit a bouncer to shortstop Lugo.

And that was when Kubel made two mistakes, resulting in his being thrown out at home.

Kubel hesitated. That was mistake number one. Then, after watching the ball bounce to Lugo, Kubel, no speed demon at 6-foot, 210 pounds, decided to try for home. That was mistake number two.

Even though Lugo didn’t make a good throw home, the ball sailing to the third-base side of the plate, catcher Jason Varitek was able to go get the ball and come back in time to sweep a tag on the sliding Kubel.

Kubel either should have stayed at third after hesitating, or he should have gone on contact. The Twins did not score again in the inning.

Kubel, though, redeemed himself somewhat in the third. After a leadoff double by Jason Bartlett, Kubel moved him over with a groundout to the right side, and Bartlett then scored from third on Torii Hunter’s sacrifice fly to center, putting the Twins on top, 3-2.

Caught in the middle

Pitchers’ fielding practice was last performed by the Red Sox in March. One play that wasn’t worked on back then was the pitcher serving as the cutoff man.

But last night, in the fifth, Beckett found himself, surprisingly, between a throw from the outfield by second baseman Pedroia and catcher Varitek.

Pedroia had made a diving stop of Hunter’s rolling single up the middle with Nick Punto at second base and two outs in the fifth. Pedroia got up and fired home, his throw looking like a one-hop strike to the plate. But Beckett, standing between the mound and the plate, cut the ball off and shoveled a wild relay throw past Varitek for an error that permitted Hunter to move up to second.

Punto, though, likely would have scored, anyway, even if Beckett hadn’t cut the ball off.

skrasner@projo.com