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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2008

Star Of The Game: B.J. Upton

Upton, who labored with a shoulder injury and had only nine home runs in the regular season, saved the brightest moments of his career for Monday. The Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox 6-2 in the clinching Game 4 of the American League Division Series. Upton's solo home runs in the first and third innings provided a 2-0 lead and the Rays never looked back. "He White Sox starter Gavin Floyd left two fastballs over the plate," Upton said. "I got them up in the air and, well, this is the Windy City for a reason." Upton was 5-for-17 in the ALDS, but he heated up at the end. There was a triple to the center-field wall in Game 2. Then came Upton's four at-bat flurry, bridging the final two games - homer, single, homer, homer.

Key Decision

The Rays led 4-1 in the fifth when Akinori Iwamura led off with a single. Upton worked the count to 3-2, then Rays manager Joe Maddon started the runner. That averted a potential double play when Upton grounded out. It also got Iwamura to second, and he scored when Carlos Pena smacked an RBI single on the next pitch.

Play Of The Game

A fourth-inning sequence allowed the Rays to take command. With Carl Crawford off-and-running from first on a 3-2 pitch, designated hitter Cliff Floyd poked a double to the left-field corner. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera, the cut-off man, threw to the plate (a fruitless move, considering Crawford's speed) and it kicked away from catcher A.J. Pierzynski. Floyd wound up at third and Dioner Navarro followed with an RBI single through a Chicago infield forced to play shallow. The Rays led 4-1.

Quirky Play

The on-field play itself? Not quirky at all. But you're not going to see this very often - Evan Longoria was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. After going 3-for-3 with two homers in Game 1, he's hitless in his past nine postseason at-bats. Maybe today's date will provide a pick-me-up. Happy 23rd birthday, Mr. Longoria.

Critical Moment

Upton gave the Rays a 1-0 lead, but fans at U.S. Cellular Field were still alive and ready to give the White Sox a boost. An immediate answer seemingly appeared when Pierzynski, Chicago's second batter in the first inning, lifted a deep fly ball to right field. But Tampa Bay's Gabe Gross, drifting back and perfectly timing his leap at the wall, took away a probable homer (along with White Sox momentum).

Crunching The Numbers

Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine (13-9, 4.38 ERA during the regular season) couldn't buy a break at season's end, failing to get a victory in his last seven starts and going 0-3 in that span. Still, Maddon showed great faith in his fourth starter. For good reason. Sonnanstine is 8-3 following a Tampa Bay loss - a slump-snapping statistic that everyone can appreciate. Sonnanstine made it look easy, allowing only a pair of harmless solo homers and retiring 15 of 17 batters during one stretch. "Typical Andy," Maddon said. "He has been a winner all his life. Marcel Lacheman former Angels pitching coach once told me to pay attention to guys like that. It's not just about the radar-gun reading. Andy had great composure from the very first pitch."

Our Take

The Rays are set up perfectly. They get some rest before the American League Championship Series begins on Friday. They can maintain their pitching rotation, starting James Shields in Game 1, if that is desired. They were rooting for the Red Sox because that means a potential four games at Tropicana Field in the ALCS. And there would potentially be four more home games at the Trop for the World Series since the All-Star Game victory installed the AL team as host (thanks for staying up late, Scott Kazmir). It seems ridiculous that some people expected the Rays to roll over after losing to the White Sox on Sunday. Feeling pressure? No, the Rays just followed their season-long plan to eliminate Chicago. They applied the pressure.

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