Goodnight Rays, Red Sox Advance to their 1st ALCS since 2008

It was not easy but the Red Sox survived Game 4 at Tropicana Field, defeating the Rays 3-1 to win the ALDS 3-1 and advance to their first ALCS since 2008 (10th in franchise history) with their 100th win of the season. Boston now awaits the winner of Game 5 between Oakland and Detroit, which takes place Thursday (8:07, TBS) in Oakland. Those teams are both excellent so I don't really have a preference about who I want Boston to face. Selfishly, I think it'd be more fun to see the A's since they have so many ex-Red Sox in unlikely starring roles.

Jake Peavy (5.2 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks) was very good, Craig Breslow (1.2 IP, 1 hit, 4 strikeouts) was incredible and Koji Uehara (4 outs, 2 strikeouts) bounced back from Game 3 to earn his second save of the series. Poor Jeremy Helickson lasted three batters into the second inning before crazy Joe Maddon pulled him out for a conga line (8!) of Rays relievers. Jake McGee (2 runs) and Fernando Rodney (1 run) were the only Tampa Bay pitchers to allow runs.

Boston was 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 guys on base. For a while, this felt like another gut-wrenching loss in the making since the Rays went up 1-0 in the sixth when David Dejesus singled in Yunel Escobar (3 hits, double). Never fear though, the Red Sox went ahead with two runs in the seventh: Jacoby Ellsbury (single, walk) stole second while Xander Bogaerts scampered home on a wild pitch. Shane Victorino's infield single scored Ellsbury who has been money all series (9 for 18, 7runs, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, walk and 4 stolen bases).

The Red Sox added a key insurance run in the ninth as Dustin Pedroia knocked in Bogaerts with a sacrifice fly. Tampa Bay's lack of offense came back to bite them as it always does (6 hits). After he came on with two outs in the eighth-striking out Dejesus-Uehara had a 1-2-3 ninth that ended with a strikeout of Evan Longoria.

Over-the-top clubhouse celebration aside (everyone in MLB does it), this is a remarkable turnaround for Boston who became only the third team in MLB history to finish last one season then win their division series the next. The best part is that this was not a fluke by any means and they're not just happy to be here. They are the team to beat in the American League and MLB as a whole.

Not going back to Boston for a Game 5 vs. Tampa Bay is huge for many reasons: they get extra rest over Detroit and Oakland plus they can use Jon Lester on Saturday in Game 1 of the ALCS at Fenway Park. After back-to-back long nights of baseball and marathon games four out of the last five days, take a break the next few days and enjoy Cardinals-Pirates Game 5 tomorrow night (8:07, TBS) then A's-Tigers Game 5 on Thursday. The Red Sox are four wins away from the 2013 World Series and eight wins away from their third World Series title in 10 years.

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No Reason To Panic, Yet. Red Sox Suffer Crushing 5-4 Walk-off Loss to Rays in Game 3

I think all rational Red Sox fans (an oxymoron if there ever was one) understood that they were playing with house money up 2-0 on the lifeless Rays. At least that's what I tell myself to help dull the pain of tonight's 5-4 win by Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field. Game 4 is back at that dump tomorrow night (8:37, TBS) as Jake Peavy faces Jeremy Hellickson.

If you picked the most unlikely scenario for the Rays to live to see another day, it couldn't top what actually happened: backup catcher Jose Lobaton hit a walk-off homer against Koji Uehara. Wait, what? There were plenty of twists and turns, what you'd expect from a nine-inning game that lasted 4:19 (!), but the bottom line is that this was a win that Boston let slip away.

They were up 3-0 in the fifth with unofficial ace Clay Buchholz (6 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks) on the mound. That should be more than enough against the offensively-challenged Rays. Especially when they continue to give runs away like candy on Halloween (sort of topical!). Jacoby Ellsbury (3 hits, 2 runs, double, stolen base) scored in the first on Ben Zobrist's error and he made it 2-0 in the fifth on Alex Cobb's (5 innings, 3 runs, 2 earned, 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks) wild pitch.

I'm not going to pretend I thought it was over when David Ortiz laced an opposite field RBI single later in the fifth for a 3-0 lead but I felt confident. There are always a boatload of decisions to second-guess when it comes to losses in the MLB playoffs and this was no different for Boston. No. 1 on the list was the choice to pitch to Evan Longoria-Tampa Bay's only dangerous hitter-with runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth. What do you know, he went deep to tie it at three.

The Rays actually pushed ahead 4-3 with a ground out by Delmon Young in the eighth but the Red Sox showed their toughness by tying it in the ninth with a ground out by Dustin Pedroia against shaky closer Fernando Rodney.

Tampa Bay had four more hits (11-7) than Boston led by James Loney (3 for 3, double, walk), David Dejesus (2 hits, double, run) and Yunel Escobar (2 hits, run). No team in MLB successfully gets more out of scrubs than the Rays, it's remarkable year after year.

Naturally we'll spend Tuesday completely miserable and wallowing in all the mistakes by the Red Sox, conveniently forgetting that they are still in control up 2-1 with home-field advantage (hopefully they don't need it). It would have been much easier to get rid of the Rays this evening but they're not the Braves; they have pride and heart so it'll take a big effort to knock them out.

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Red Sox Outlast Rays 7-3 in 10 innings thanks to Carp's Pinch-Hit Grand Slam

Tune into a Red Sox game on almost any given day or night and odds are that this season you'll them do something spectacular. Tonight, Boston (89-58 overall, 42-33 away) beat Tampa Bay (78-66 overall, 44-28 home) 7-3 in 10 innings at Tropicana Field. Koji Uehara (4-0) set a team record as he has now retired 34 consecutive batters while ho hum Mike Carp cranked the first pinch-hit grand slam in extra innings in Red Sox history.

The win put Boston 9.5 games up on the Rays which means that the race for the AL East is all but officially over. It also helps that the Red Sox are 12-6 vs. Tampa Bay this season with just tomorrow night's game remaining in the regular season at least. Ryan Dempster (5 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts) was OK but the real story in terms of pitching for the Red Sox was Franklin Morales (1-2-3 6th), Uehara and Junichi Tazawa (scoreless 10th inning).

The Rays handed the Red Sox their first two runs in the third inning when Wil Myers bungled Mike Napoli's sinking liner into a two-run double. Daniel Nava's (2 hits) ground out scored David Ortiz (2 walks, 2 runs) to make it 3-0 good guys. David Dejesus got Tampa Bay on the board in the home half of the third with an RBI double. Evan Longoria (double, walk) cut it to 3-2 with an RBI double in the seventh and former Red Sox great James Loney tied it with a solo homer off Brandon Workman in the eighth.

Roberto Hernandez (don't call him Fausto Carmona) had the honor of giving up Carp's ninth home run of the season, which came on the first pitch he saw. Batting leadoff for the second straight game, Dustin Pedroia reached base three times (2 singles, walk, 2 runs). Boston has already clinched another series win and they continue to open up their lead on other AL contenders (5 more wins than Detroit and Oakland) for the best record in the league.

Jake Peavy (11-5) takes on Jeremy Hellickson (11-8) tomorrow (7:10, NESN) in the series finale. The Rays desperately need a win since they've gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and the Yankees have pulled within a game of their spot as the second AL Wild Card. What's more, the Indians and Orioles are only 1.5 games back and the Royals are just two games behind Tampa Bay.

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Cubs Blank Red Sox 3-0 In Series Opener At Wrigley Field

The Red Sox-Cubs interleague series started with a whimper, at least as far as Boston is concerned, this afternoon with Chicago (22-42, 14-17 home) survived three errors to blank Boston (31-33, 17-14 away) 3-0 at Wrigley Field.

It's the first time the teams have met in the Windy City since 2005.

Ryan Dempster (3-3) won his third straight start for the Cubs and stretched his scoreless streak to 22 innings with seven shutout innings. He gave up only four hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He even helped himself with a triple (1st since 2002), single and run scored. There's no doubt he'll be a valued commodity at the trade deadline (July 31).

Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) had a classic Dice-K start. He allowed two runs in the first inning (after walking the bases loaded) and one in the second (over 50 pitches by then) before settling down and retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced. His three runs were all earned, on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Both teams were extremely limited at the plate: Boston had five hits and Chicago only had four. Scott Podsednik (2 hits, 2 stolen bases) and Dempster were the only batters with multiple hits. The difference was that the Red Sox were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and Chicago was 2-for-6.

Steve Clevenger had a two-run double in the first and David DeJesus (who I'm pretty sure has been rumored to be traded to the Red Sox every season for the past decade) had an RBI single in the second inning.

After James Russell pitched a scoreless eighth for his fifth hold of the season, ultra-shaky Cubs closer Carlos Marmol tried to cough up the three-run lead in the ninth. Between a single, error and walk, Boston had the bases loaded with two outs. Dustin Pedroia hit a grounder to third and Luis Valbuena stepped on the bag ahead of Mike Aviles for the final out. It was Marmol's third save of the season, he had to throw 29 pitches so I doubt he'd be available tomorrow night.

Bobby Valentine announced after the loss that Josh Beckett won't start on Sunday night, apparently he is having issues with his right shoulder. Reliever Franklin Morales will be pressed into duty, making his first career start for the Red Sox (1st since 2009 with Colorado) on Sunday Night Baseball.

Tomorrow night (7:15 p.m., FOX), Jon Lester (3-4) will try to get Boston back in the win column against former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija (5-4).

UPDATE 6/16: Beckett went on the 15-day DL today with shoulder inflammation. Clayton Mortensen was recalled from Pawtucket to take his spot on the roster.

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Well This Has Certainly Become Painful, Wakefield Goes Sixth Straight Start Without Picking Up Win No. 200

At what point do we agree that the novelty of reaching a milestone in baseball has worn off and it's time to pull the plug on a player's seemingly futile quest?

In the case of Tim Wakefield and the Boston Red Sox, that day gets closer and closer as he started his sixth straight game on the cusp of 200 career wins and once again he couldn't get it done.

This would be one thing if Dr. Creepy and Co. were trying to milk some more money out of Red Sox Nation but this team is in the middle of a pennant race (that means so much for determining playoff opponents).

This one was over early tonight as the Oakland A's (60-71) put a damper on what should be a long couple days with a 15-5 win over the Red Sox (80-51).

Boston got a run in the first as Adrian Gonzalez drove in Jacoby Ellsbury (2 runs, 2 hits, stolen base) for a 1-0 lead.

Unfortunately, Oakland didn't let yesterday's ridiculous loss to the Yankees affect them as they scored twice in the second inning and six times in the fourth. David DeJesus (3 RBIs, 2 runs, 2 hits) and Cliff Pennington (3 hits, 2 RBIs) had RBI singles in the second before the roof completely caved in on Wake and the Red Sox.

Scott Sizemore and Josh Willingham had two-run homers, sandwiched around a two-run single by Hideki Matsui.

That was it for Wakefield (6-6) as he departed after four depressing innings. He allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Dustin Pedroia (17th of the season) and David Ortiz (3 hits; 26th of the season) went back-to-back in the fourth, giving Boston some hope that they could comeback on Gio Gonzalez (11-11) and the A's but it wasn't to be.

Gonzalez wasn't particularly good but compared to Wakefield, he looked like Cliff Lee. In 5.2 innings, he allowed four earned runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Things got even more embarrassing in the late innings as Oakland piled up insurance runs (1 in the seventh, 4 in the eighth) on Scott Atchison (recalled from Pawtucket) and Matt Albers (4 earned runs). It was so bad that Darnell McDonald was summoned to pitch in the ninth and Willingham greeted him with a two-run double.

Josh Reddick got a two-run double of his own in the ninth, maybe that will get him going at the plate again. He's been lifeless lately.

Tomorrow promises to be a long day at Fenway, weather permitting. Jon Lester faces Guillermo Moscoso at high noon while Erik Bedard and rookie Graham Godfrey will try to conclude the shortened series at 5 p.m. before Hurricane Irene wreeks havoc on Massachusetts.

The Yankees similarly got smoked tonight, at Baltimore, so the Red Sox are still up a game on their main rivals in the AL East.

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