BOSTON (AP) -For eight playoff games and most of Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Rays looked like the best team in baseball.
Then they reverted to their old ways.
The Rays blew a seven-run lead in an 8-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox in Game 5 of the AL championship series.
What seemed so unlikely most of the night will happen: a sixth game of the best-of-seven series Saturday night at St. Petersburg, where Tampa Bay’s 57-24 record was the best in the majors.
A seventh game? The never-give-up Red Sox would force one for Sunday night if they win Game 6 when Josh Beckett, the struggling postseason ace, faces the Rays’ top starter, James Shields.
In its 10 seasons before dropping the “Devil” from its name, Tampa Bay never won more than 70 games, finished last in the AL East nine times and next to last once.
ng World Series champions.
Then, Tampa Bay’s solid bullpen fell apart.
After Scott Kazmir allowed two hits in six shutout innings, Grant Balfour came in and allowed four runs in the seventh on an RBI single by Dustin Pedroia and a three-run homer by David Ortiz, who had been 1-for-17 in the series.
In the eighth, Dan Wheeler allowed a leadoff single to Jason Bay and a homer to J.D. Drew. Then, with two outs, Coco Crisp singled home Mark Kotsay with the tying run.
A third reliever, J.P. Howell, came in to start the ninth and retired the first two batters before Kevin Youkilis hit a grounder to third baseman Evan Longoria, who picked it up on the short hop and threw wildly. Youkilis advanced to second and Howell walked Jason Bay intentionally before giving up Drew’s winning single past right fielder Gabe Gross.
Now it’s back to Tropicana Field for Game 6 off the ALCS.
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