Carl Crawford went five-for-five and Willy Aybar drove in five runs as Tampa Bay thrashed Boston 13-4 in game four of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday.
Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena homered for the Rays who have a commanding 3-1 series lead in one their Major League Baseball best-of-seven semifinals series.
"We want to be aggressive at the plate," Crawford said. "The guys are focused and we want it really bad."
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![Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning in Game 4 of the American League baseball championship series in Boston on Tuesday. [AP]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20081016/000802c98ccc0a60ea911a.jpg "Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning in Game 4 of the American League baseball championship series in Boston on Tuesday. [AP]")
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Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning in Game 4 of the American League baseball championship series in Boston on Tuesday. [AP] |
Tampa can clinch a berth in the World Series today when they start with pitcher James Shields on the mound.
"It would be nice to finish it up here," Crawford said.
The Rays stunned Boston in game three on Monday, belting four homers in a 9-1 victory, and carried their homer barrage over to the first inning of game four, when Pena followed a one-out walk to B.J. Upton with a towering blast into the "Green Monster" seats.
Longoria followed with a solo shot to give Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead. The blast gave Longoria five in the postseason, breaking the rookie record set by Miguel Cabrera with the 2003 Florida Marlins.
"There were a lot of really good things," Tampa manager Joe Madden said. "I was pleased with tonight's game."
Tim Wakefield retired the side in order in the second and set down the first two batters in the third before Crawford slapped a weak grounder to the right side of the infield.
Wakefield got to the dribbler but could not get it out of his glove quickly, allowing the speedy Crawford to reach.
Aybar followed and worked the count to 2-1 before driving a high knuckleball into the seats above the "Monster" for a 5-0 advantage.
Wakefield (0-1) was removed after 2 2/3 innings, having allowed five runs and six hits while walking two and striking out a pair.
"Our bats have gotten a lot better," Madden said. "Everybody up and down the lineup. We talk about good at bats. We are swinging at strikes and it is contagious in a positive way. I want to see it again."
It was the shortest outing for a Boston starter in the playoffs since Bronson Arroyo lasted two innings in game three of the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees.
"We need to figure it out," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We have had a difficult time and have not had an answer for a lot of things."
The five-run lead was plenty for Rays righthander Andy Sonnanstine (1-0), who allowed four runs - two earned - and six hits in 7 1/3 innings while walking one and striking out two.
Tampa Bay's No. 4 starter, Sonnanstine easily handled Boston in a pair of September starts, tossing 13 innings without allowing an earned run.
The 25-year-old Sonnanstine carried that success into October, setting down 12 in a row before David Ortiz led off the seventh with a triple.
(Agencies via China Daily October 16, 2008)