Red Sox and Rays advance to AL Championship Series (AP)
6 minutes ago
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The American League Championship Series will be an all-East Division affair. The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays closed out their respective division series in four games Monday and will square off beginning Friday in St. Petersburg. The National League Championship Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers starts Thursday in Philadelphia.
The Red Sox blew a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning before defeating the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on rookie Jed Lowrie's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jason Bay started the series-winning rally by hitting a ground-rule double with one out before scoring on Lowrie's ground ball through the right side.
The Angels knotted the score on Torii Hunter's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth following a passed ball by Jason Varitek. Los Angeles had a chance to take the lead when Kendry Morales led off the ninth with a double. But Erick Aybar missed on a squeeze attempt, allowing Varitek to tag out pinch-runner Reggie Willits at third to end the threat.
Dustin Pedroia gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead with his only hit of the series, an RBI double in a two-run sixth.
Boston starter Jon Lester had to settle for a no-decision after allowing four hits in seven innings. Angels hurler John Lackey gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Manny Delcarmen recorded two outs in the ninth to pick up the win. Scot Shields was the loser.
In Chicago, the Rays advanced to the ALCS for the first time in their 11-season history by downing the White Sox 6-2.
B.J. Upton, Cliff Floyd and Carlos Pena highlighted the Rays' 10-hit attack while Andrew Sonnenstine held the White Sox to a pair of runs and three hits in five and two-thirds.
Upton opened the scoring with a solo homer two batters into the game before adding another solo blast that put the Rays ahead 2-0 in the third. Floyd fueled the Rays' two-run fourth, lacing an RBI double and scoring on Dioner Navarro's single.
Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye belted solo shots off Sonnenstine, but Pena answered each home run by providing RBI singles to restore four-run leads.
J.P. Howell and Grant Balfour iced the victory by combining to blank the White Sox over three and a-third.
In other news, the Red Sox took third baseman Mike Lowell off their postseason roster before Monday's win over the Angels. The decision makes him ineligible for the ALCS.
Lowell was 0-8 in the series while battling a strained right hip.
The best-of-seven National League Championship Series gets under way Thursday night in Philadelphia, where the Phillies await the Dodgers.
Philly beat Milwaukee 6-2 yesterday to win their best-of-five division series 3-1.
L.A. completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs Saturday.