Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Boston
Sports Network | October 11, 2008
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Fernando Perez raced home on B.J. Upton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, giving Tampa Bay a dramatic 9-8 win over the Boston Red Sox to cap a wild Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
A total of seven home runs were hit in the game, tying a postseason record. That included two by Boston's Dustin Pedroia, but in the end, the gritty Rays evened the best-of-seven series.
Evan Longoria had three hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs. Upton also homered off Josh Beckett, as did Cliff Floyd for the Rays.
Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay homered for Boston, which went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base.
Mike Timlin (0-1) walked Dioner Navarro to start the bottom of the 11th. Perez then came on as a pinch-runner, and Ben Zobrist drew a walk. Jason Bartlett grounded out to third, but the runners moved up a base and Timlin intentionally walked Akinori Iwamura before Upton lofted a fly ball to short right field. J.D. Drew made the catch, but his throw home was toward the third base line, and Perez was easily safe.
David Price (1-0), the first overall pick in last year's draft, recorded the final two outs of the top of the 11th to get the win.
The series shifts to Boston for Game 3 Monday afternoon. Matt Garza is the expected starter for the Rays, while Jon Lester gets the ball for the Red Sox.
