Star Of The Game: J.D. Drew Drew led the Red Sox's dramatic 8-7 comeback victory against the Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. Drew's two-run homer in the eighth inning pulled Boston within 7-6. In the ninth with two outs, Drew's RBI single drove in the winning run. Drew's heroics overshadowed Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, who smashed his sixth home run of the playoffs. Only Barry Bonds (eight in 2002), Carlos Beltran (eight in 2004) and Troy Glaus (seven in 2002) have more in a single postseason. Overall, Upton went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. ...more

October 17, 2008

It's no coincidence that the Rays' offensive renaissance in post-season has coincided with B.J. Upton's surge. ...more

October 14, 2008

Matt Garza made his point Monday. All he heard about heading into Game 3 was his opposite number, Jon Lester, and how everyone expected the lefty to dominate the Rays. Hardly a word was said about Garza, the only Rays pitcher to lose a game in the first round, and it admittedly got under his skin. ...more

October 14, 2008

Star Of The Game: Matt Garza The Rays got 13 hits - and four home runs - in Monday's 9-1 victory against Boston in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. "You can talk about the hitting all you want," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Matt Garza is the reason we won the game. He did not permit them to come back." Garza, who pitched to two batters in the seventh inning before his exit, allowed six hits, walked three and struck out five on 116 pitches. In the first two innings, Garza stranded three runners in scoring position. Garza got the leadoff batter out six times. The Red Sox's 3-4-5 batters (David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew) were 0-for-9 against him. ...more

October 14, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG Dan Wheeler may not be a true closer, but he may have saved the Rays' season Saturday night. ...more

October 12, 2008

Inning-by-inning, a look at the Rays 9-8 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALCS: ...more

October 12, 2008

Star Of The Game: Daisuke Matsuzaka Some people were skeptical when Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced Matsuzaka as his Game 1 starter. Any questions now? Dice-K labored through a 27-pitch first inning, walking the bases loaded, but he was never seriously threatened. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning - retiring 16 of 17 batters - as reporters scrambled to locate Don Larsen's home number. Dice-K walked four, but had nine strikeouts and he was removed after two singles in the eighth. ...more

October 11, 2008

The Rays have their homefield advantage going for them in Game 1 of the ALCS tonight, and the Red Sox counter with a pitcher who hasn't lost on the road this year. ...more

October 10, 2008

The Boston Red Sox brushed aside the 100-win Angels in four games, dismissing their best-in-baseball regular season as last month's news. ...more

October 7, 2008

Jon Lester flirted with a no-hitter in his final tuneup before the playoffs, finishing with six innings of two-hit ball on Thursday night and leading the Red Sox to a 6-1 victory against the Indians. ...more

September 26, 2008