The Boston Red Sox, playing like the defending champs they are, came out swinging and beat Tampa Bay 4-2 last night to force a seventh game in an American League championship series that the Rays had all but wrapped up two days ago. "We went out there and played like it was our last game,” said Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. “It was awesome."
Jon Lester starts Game 7 for the Red Sox tonight against Matt Garza in a rematch of Game 3, won by the Rays 9-1 at Fenway Park. The winning team hosts the World Series opener Wednesday night against the well-rested Philadelphia Phillies, who won the National League pennant over the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
(More World Series stories.)