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Rays outlast Red Sox to even series 1-1

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-13 09:31

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida: BJ Upton's 11th-inning sacrifice fly lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 9-8 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in a marathon Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

Tampa Bay Rays B.J. Upton watches his game-winning RBI sacrifice fly in the 11th inning against the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of Major League Baseball's ALCS playoff series in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 11, 2008.  [Agencies]

With the victory the Rays evened the best-of-seven series at one game apiece after dropping the opener at home to the defending World Series champions on Friday. Game 3 is on Monday in Boston.

Dioner Navarro drew a leadoff walk from Mike Timlin in the 11th, and was replaced by pinch runner Fernando Perez.

Pinch hitter Ben Zobrist also walked, and the runners advanced on a groundout by Jason Bartlett.

Akinori Iwamura was intentionally walked to set the stage for Upton, who lofted an 0-2 pitch to shallow right field.

JD Drew caught the ball, but his throw couldn't beat Perez to the plate. Perez scored the game-winning run after five hours and 27 minutes.

"I was just looking for a good pitch to hit," Upton said. "The main thing there is not to strike out. I wanted to put the ball in play and put some pressure on the defense."

The teams combined to hit seven home runs, tying a major league playoff record.

The Rays' rookie third baseman Evan Longoria had three hits, including a two-run home run in the first inning, while Upton and Cliff Floyd also homered for Tampa Bay.

Dustin Pedroia hit two homers for the Red Sox and scored the tying run on a wild pitch by Dan Wheeler in the eighth.

Wheeler recovered from that mis-step to throw 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Rookie hurler David Price - the seventh pitcher used by the Rays - got the final two outs of the 11th inning to pick up his first career win.

In a wild game that featured a bit of everything, Jason Bay's RBI single in the sixth pulled Boston within 8-7.

Pedroia scored the tying run in the eighth. He singled, and after David Ortiz walked the second baseman advanced to third on a double play.

Pedroia then scored when Wheeler's pitch sailed over the outstretched glove of catcher Navarro. Navarro retrieved the ball and still had time to throw out Pedroia, but his underhanded toss skipped wide.

Both teams scored three runs in the fifth. Pedroia led off the inning with a blast off Rays starter Scott Kazmir. Two batters later Youkilis chased Kazmir with a homer.

Grant Balfour went to the mound, and Bay greeted him with a solo blast that put the Red Sox ahead 6-5.

Tampa Bay responded in the bottom half of the frame as Upton walked, stole second and scored on a single to right by Carlos Pena.

Longoria followed with a double and Pena avoided the tag of catcher Jason Varitek.

Longoria advanced on the throw and scored on Carl Crawford's single to make it 8-6.

Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, making just his second start in 19 days due to an oblique injury, was rocked for eight runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"We wanted Beckett to get through that fifth and set up our bullpen, and it didn't work," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.