Dog day afternoon

BOSTON -- The Astros have made the National League Championship Series competitive, and the Red Sox are trying to do the same with the American League version.

Monday night, we'll see just how far both underdogs can take it.

At Fenway Park, the Red Sox are attempting to become the first team in history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games. The next step is beating the Yankees in Game 5 late Monday afternoon.

The Sox took the first step Sunday when they won Game 4 in a taut, 12-inning comeback. David Ortiz, who ended the Division Series against the Angels with a walkoff homer, smashed a two-run walkoff job against Yankees reliever Paul Quantrill for the 6-4 win. It marked only the sixth time in 26 tries that a team down 0-3 in a best-of-seven postseason series managed to win Game 4.

"We're not going to roll over," reliever Keith Foulke said after the marathon, which lasted five hours and two minutes. "It's unfortunate that we've put ourselves in this situation. But we're not going to give it to them. We're going to go out there and fight, fight, fight."

The Red Sox have reason for at least a little cautious optimism. Pedro Martinez, who pitched well in a loss in Game 2, starts for Boston in Game 5. A Boston win would force the series back to New York for a Game 6 on Tuesday night, where previously hobbled Red Sox starter Curt Schilling will try to pull a Willis Reed and help his team at least get to a final game, which would be played Wednesday. No team down 0-3 ever had forced a Game 7.

The Yankees will counter with ace Mike Mussina on Monday and Jon Lieber if a Tuesday game is necessary.

In Houston, Carlos Beltran, who has homered in a record five straight postseason games, will try to make it six in a row when the Astros play their final NLCS game at Minute Maid Park. Down 0-2 after two losses in St. Louis, the Astros have bounced back to tie the series 2-2. The Astros have won three of their four postseason games and 21 of 22 overall at home.

Beltran, who already has tied Barry Bonds' record with eight home runs in a single postseason, hit his most recent in the seventh inning on Sunday to lead the Astros to 6-5 win.

"He's gone far beyond any expectations of hot," Houston first baseman Jeff Bagwell said.