UNDATED (AP) – The Boston Red Sox have advanced to the AL Championship Series by knocking out the league’s best team in the division series. The Red Sox coughed up a 5-0 lead before Kike Hernandez lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to give Boston a 6-5 victory in Game 4. It was the third straight win by the Bosox following a series-opening loss at St. Petersburg.
Christian Vazquez opened the series-winning rally with a single, moved to second on a bunt and scampered to third on Travis Shaw’s base hit. Danny Santana replaced Vazquez on the base paths and scored the deciding run. Rafael Devers opened the scoring in the Red Sox’s five-run third by slamming a three-run homer. Wander Franco got Tampa Bay with 5-3 in the sixth with a two-run blast, two innings before Kevin Kiermaier hit an RBI double and scored on Randy Arozarena’s single. Garrett Whitlock tossed two perfect innings of relief to get the win. J.P. Feyereisen was the loser. It brings an abrupt end to the season for the Rays, who’d been eyeing back-to-back trips to the World Series after winning a league-high 100 games during the regular season.
The Giants have regained control of their NL Division Series, taking a two-games-to-one lead with a 1-0 shutout of the Dodgers. Evan Longoria’s solo blast in the fifth inning off Max Scherzer broke a scoreless tie and was one of just three hits for San Francisco all evening. Longoria was in an 0-for-23 funk before connecting. Scherzer allowed only two other hits while striking out 10 over seven innings, but the Dodgers managed just five hits off former teammate Alex Wood and the Giants’ bullpen. Tyler Rogers got the win in relief of Wood, giving up three hits over 1 2/3 innings. One swing has given the Atlanta Braves a two-games-to-one lead over Milwaukee in the NL Division Series. Pinch-hitter Joc Pederson launched a three-run homer in the fifth inning, sending the Braves to their second straight 3-0 win against the Brewers. The blast made a winner out of Ian Anderson, who limited Milwaukee to three hits and no walks while striking out six over five innings. Four relievers followed with one inning of work, allowing Atlanta to complete a five-hitter. Will Smith worked the ninth for the save. Pederson’s home run came after Brewers starter Freddy Peralta scattered three hits over four innings. Adrian Houser took the loss. The Braves can wrap up the series at home on Tuesday. Game 4 of the AL Division Series between the Chicago White Sox and visiting Houston Astros was postponed with rain in the forecast. Carlos Rodon is still scheduled to start the game for Chicago on Tuesday, with Game 1 starter Lance Lynn available out of the bullpen. Astros manager Dusty Baker will go with Lance McCullers instead of Jose Urquidy.