ALDS4: Red Sox 3, Rays 1

Red Sox - 000 000 201 - 3  6  0
Rays    - 000 001 000 - 1  6  0

The ALCS will begin at Fenway Park on Saturday!

Xander Bogaerts walked twice and scored twice in the final three innings. The Red Sox took advantage of two wild pitches and a hit batsman while rallying in the late innings.

Craig Breslow turned in a stupendous relief effort after Jake Peavy (5.2-5-1-0-3, 74) allowed the Rays to score a run in sixth. Breslow fanned James Loney to end the sixth with a runner on first and he struck out the side (the Rays' 4-5-6 hitters) in the seventh. Breslow allowed a one-out single in the eighth, but Junichi Tazawa struck out pinch-hitter Matt Joyce and Koji Uehara struck out David DeJesus. After Boston added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, Uehara set the Rays down in order, ending Tampa Bay's season by knocking Evan Longoria on his ass with a 1-2 pitch that was very up-and-in, then striking him out with a fastball.

Early in the game, Boston squandered an excellent chance to score. David Ortiz walked on four pitches to begin the second inning. Then Mike Napoli walked on four pitches. Daniel Nava singled to right and the bases were loaded. Joe Maddon pulled his starter Jeremy Hellickson (1-1-0-2-0, 22) in favour of Jamey Wright, who caught Jarrod Saltalamacchia looking at strike three for the first out. Stephen Drew lined to first, and Loney doubled Napoli off second to end the inning.

A leadoff walk was wiped out by another double play in the third. The Red Sox stranded two runners in each of the fourth and fifth innings.

Peavy retired the first seven Tampa Bay batters before giving up two singles to the bottom of the order in the third. He wiggled out of trouble by starting a 1-6-3 double play.

In the bottom of the sixth, Yunel Sscobar (3-for-3) doubled off the left field wall, nearly missing a home run. Escobar moved to third on Jose Lobaton's groundout to the right side and scored on DeJesus's single to right. After Wil Myers flied to left, Breslow came in and struck out Loney.

Maddon ended up using nine pitchers (David Price, named as the Rays' Game 5 pitcher, was warming up in the ninth inning). Maddon yanked Hellickson after only six batters, then used Wright for an inning. When Wright walked the leadoff man in the third, Maddon called on Matt Moore - the starter in Game 1. I figured Moore would pitch awhile, but he went only two innings.

Jake McGee came in for the seventh and that was when Boston struck. Manager John Farrell made the two moves he was criticized for not making in Game 3, pinch-hitting for Saltalamacchia and Stephen Drew against a left-handed pitcher. Jonny Gomes (batting for Salty) popped to right-center and Xander Bogaerts (hitting for Drew) worked a full-count walk. Will Middlebrooks battled McGee through seven pitches before striking out swinging. Jacoby Ellsbury singled to right-center and Bogaerts raced to third. Maddon brought in Joel Peralta - and his first pitch to Victorino was wild. Bogaerts scored easily (tying the game) and Ellsbury, who had taken off on the pitch, made it safely to third. Victorino beat out a high chopper to Escobar at shortstop and Ellsbury scored the go-ahead run.

In the ninth, against Fernando Rodney, Bogaerts again drew a full-count walk. After Middlebrooks fanned, Xander took second on a wild pitch and Ellsbury walked. Victorino was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and fourth time in the series (a new DS record). With the bases loaded, Maddon pulled Rodney (12 of his 19 pitches were balls) and brought in Chris Archer, who gave up a sacrifice fly to Dustin Pedroia.

Boston will play the winner of Wednesday's Game 5 between Oakland and Detroit.

Jake Peavy (4.17) / Jeremy Hellickson (5.17)

Ellsbury, CF
Victorino, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Drew, SS
Middlebrooks, 3B

Kyle Brasseur, ESPNBoston:

Rays manager Joe Maddon's decision to go with Hellickson over successful rookie Chris Archer (9-7, 3.22 ERA in 23 starts) in Game 4 of the ALDS came as a shock to many last week. Even to Hellickson. ...

After going 8-2 in 11 June and July starts, Hellickson struggled mightily in the last two months of the season, posting an ERA of 7.02 and only making it through five innings in three of his final 10 starts.

Peavy on Game 4: 'I want that opportunity'