Even - Rays Beat Phils With Small Ball, Tie the Series

By JC De La Torre

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Philadelphia Phillies playing National League styled small ball and even the World Series at one game a piece with a 4-2 victory at Tropicana Field. "Big Game" James Sheilds continously pitched himself out of trouble as the Phillies continued to struggle to get hits with men in scoring position. Philadelphia is now 1-for-28 with runners at 2nd or 3rd, and for three straight innings in this one they had a runner on third and one out, but couldn't bring home the runs.

The Rays on the other hand, did put the ball in play when the opportunity presented itself. After a 1-2-3 first by Shields in the top frame of the 1st, Tampa Bay opened the bottom half with a flurry. Aki Iwamurra led off with a walk from pitcher Brett Myers. Upton then singled to right field, but Phillies RF Jason Werth to his eye off the ball while trying to spy if Iwamurra was going to third and booted it. Upton and Iwamurra advanced on the error. Pena grounded out to the 2nd baseman, who had no play at the plate or third, Iwamurra scored, Upton advanced to 3rd and the Rays led 1-0. Longoria followed with a hard grounder to shortstop, Upton was running on contact and they had no play at the play, Rays led 2-0 after 1 inning.

In the top of the second, the Phillies got Burrell and Howard on 2nd and 3rd with only one down, but Shields struck out the DH Dobbs and got Pedro Feliz to fly out to get out of the jam. In the bottom half, after a fly out by Cliff Floyd, Navarro singled, Baldelli walked, and Bartlett had an infield single to load the bases with only one away. Aki would pop out to short, but Upton would save the inning with a single to right scoring Navarro. Baldelli also tried to score on the single, but a great throw by Werth had Baldelli dead to rights, Philly catcher Carlos Ruiz held on to the ball and the inning ended with the Rays up 3-0.

Top of the third, another threat from Philadelphia, Ruiz doubled to left and a grounder by James Rollins would advance him to third. Shields began to weave his magic again, striking out Werth and getting Utley to ground out to second to get out of trouble. The Rays would go in order in the bottom half.

The 4th inning provided even more frustration for Philadelphia. Ryan Howard, who was good with the bat tonight, singled to Right. Burrell ground out to third but Howard advanced. Victorino would reach on an infield single, Howard would advance to third with only one out. For the 2nd time, Shields would strike out Dobbs with a runner at 3rd and only 1 down, and then followed that with a ground out to Longoria by Pedro Feliz. In the bottom half, the Rays showed the Phillies how its done, after singles by Cliff Floyd and Dioner Navarro, Baldelli grounded into a force at 2nd, leaving runners on the corner with 1 away. From there, Jason Bartlett executed a safety squeeze perfectly, as he placed the bunt down the first place side, Floyd scored and Baldelli advanced to second, the Rays had a 4-0 lead.

It would stay that way until the top of the 8th, when the PH Brunlett homered of the relief pitcher David Price, who came in to get the final 7 outs. Price remained in for the 9th, allowed to run but got the Rays out of the inning and the game for a 4-2 victory.

Shields went 5 and 2/3, allowing no runs on 7 hits, 2 walks, and he struck out 4. Myers lasted a little longer, going 7 innings, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), with 3 walks and 2 strike outs for Philly.

The stage shifts to Philadelphia, where the Rays will have Matt Garza on the mound for Game 3, the Phillies counter with the 45 yr old veteran, Jamie Moyer.

If the Rays can take 2-3 of three in Philly, the same way they did in Boston, they'll have two chances at the Trop to close out the Phillies.

Rays Outlast Redsox to Even the ALCS

By JC De La Torre

The Tampa Bay Rays won a wild shoot out at Tropicana Field over the Boston Red Sox 9-8 to even the American League Championship Series at 1. It was a rough night for pitchers, as both starters Scott Kazmir for Tampa Bay and Josh Beckett of Boston, were touched for 2 runs in the first inning.

In the top half, it was Jason Bay doubling home David Ortiz and Kevin Youklis to give Boston a 2-0 lead. In the bottom half, the Rays would answer with Evan Longoria's two run blast to tie it at 2. After a scoreless 2nd inning, Dustin Pedroia homered at the top of the third to give Boston the lead. In the bottom half of the third, BJ Upton homered, then Evan Longoria doubled. Carl Crawford would single, bringing home Longoria to give the Rays their first lead of the series 4-3.

After a scoreless fourth for Boston, Cliff Floyd homered for the Rays to give them a 5-3 advantage. That's when all hell broke loose in the 5th inning. In the top half of the 5th, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youklis, and Jason Bay each hit solo home runs to give the Red Sox a 6-5 advantage. Head to the bottom of the 5th, Upton doubled, then was singled home by Pena to tie it at 6. Longoria doubled to left to score Pena, and advanced to third on the throw to the plate.

Carl Crawford singled again scoring Longoria to give the Rays an 8-6 advantage after 5. Both Beckett and Kazmir were out in this inning. In the 6th, Pedroia would double and then be singled home by Bay to close the Red Sox within 1, but the Red Sox would leave two on. The 7th would go scoreless, but the Red Sox would tie the game again in the top of the 8th, with the amazing Pedroia, who had an unbelievable game, scored on Dan Wheeler's wild pitch. In the top of 9th, a two-out double by Coco Crisp, Wheeler struck up Jacoby Ellsbury to send it to the bottom of the 9th.

In the Rays half, 2 down and Aki Iwamurra on first, Red Sox Manager brought in closer Jonathan Papelbon to face Carlos Pena. Papelbon got Pena to strike out and off to extra innings we went. A game this good couldn't be decided in 9.

Wheeler, working his 3rd inning, went 1-2-3 against the meat of the Red Sox order in the top of the 10th. Papelbon matched in the bottom of the 10th.

Wheeler stayed in for the 11th, struck out Jason Bay, then walked Lowrie. Rays manager Joe Maddon called on the rookie, David Price to face JD Drew. Price walked Drew, then struck out Kotsay, then got Coco Crisp to ground out.

Timlin replaced Papelbon in the bottom of the 11th, and walked Navarro. Fernando Perez came in to pinch run for Dioner. Timlin then walked Ben Zobrist to put the winning run on 2nd with nobody out. Barlett advanced both runners with a well timed hit-and-run. 2nd and 3rd, no one out for Iwamurra. Iwamurra was intenionally walked and BJ Upton had the shot at the winning hit. Upton hit a short pop fly, but it was enough to score Perez, who beat the throw.

RAYS WIN! RAYS WIN! RAYS WIN! What a game, what a win for Tampa Bay!

So now the Rays head to Boston, needing to win a game in Fenway Park to take back home field in this series.