American League Division Series, Game 4

Grant Balfour just struck out Ken Griffey Jr. in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Rays beat the White Sox 6-2 to close the American League Division Series three games to one at U.S. Cellular Field.
   The AL East champion Rays, playing in their first postseason, will meet the winner of the Anaheim Angels-Boston Red Sox series beginning Friday. The Rays would have home-field advantage and host Game One if the opponent is Boston. The Red Sox lead the best-of-five, 2-1.

It's gonna rain

So, imagine you're a reporter on deadline and you happen to burst through the wave of television crews and find yourself standing next to Carl Crawford. Then six Rays surround him and start spurting champagne everywhere. This is what it sounds like.

It doesn't smell very nice an hour later, and it's honestly quite sticky. Note to self: bring a slicker next time.

They then drank champagne. And it was good. But not at all like this.

Three outs to go ...

... and the Rays are bound for the American League Championship Series. (Smack your face. Read this again). Yes, it's true. Discuss.

Here you go.

Thome, 6-3.

Konerko, fly out to right.

Two-third down

6-2 Rays, bottom of the seventh.

Grant Balfour warms in the pen.

It feels like it feels when the Rays win

They have swagger, they have poise, and they're doing what they want right now. Carl Crawford stole second and third after walking in the sixth and appeared to be figuring out ways to add home before Gabe Gross flew out to end the inning.

And those white towels are waving a little less enthusiastically.

5-1 Rays entering the bottom of the sixth and starter Andy Sonnanstine, who hasn't won since August, has allowed just two hits.

The view from the press box at U.S. Cellular Field. I bet your TV doesn't have a big bar going across the mound. But the surround sound here is fricken awesome.

One third down

Are you in the car on your way to St. Pete-Clearwater airport yet? (If so, please keep two feet on the wheel as you blog. You're not a very good driver as is).

Top fourth: Rays (BJ Upton) 2, Sox 0 and the Cell is a little mumbly and agitated.

Andy Sonnanstine appears to be settling in.

BJ is a bear

Three homers in his last four at-bats. Mr. Upton appears to feelin' it. His rip to left-center just cleared the rail 417 feet from home plate.

Blowin' in the wind ...

The wind is blowing straight in - hard - which might hamper the Sox power game some. Alexei Ramirez just raked a liner to left that was knocked down and made an easier play for Carl Crawford. All the breeze did to Upton's blast was knock them down into the first row.

(Pictured: B.J. Upton's solo homer in the first inning gave the Rays a 1-0 lead. Times photo -- Brian Cassella.)

Early action

Top second, 1-0, Rays: B.J. Upton's second home run in his last three at-bats has to be encouraging if you're a Rays fan, and I suspect you are.

The vibe here at The Cell is a little subdued today. There's some empty seats out there and "The Blackout" is not complete.

Stealth fighters

That evil baseball genius that is A.J. Pierzynski apparently struck again in the Sox 5-3 win in Game 3. Pierzynski stealthily stuck his bat in front of Rays catcher Dioner Navarro as he attempted to throw out DeWayne Wise stealing second base in the third inning.
Wise reached safely and scored to tie the game 1-1 when Pierzynski singled.
Navarro said he didn’t realize what had happened until he watched highlights of the game on television.
That’s the way he plays,” Navarro said of Pierzynski, though he added later, “I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean it.” Manager Joe Maddon, who has arguably been stung by Pierzynski’s plotting more than any other manager with the Angels and Rays, said it was “not appropriate.”
Wise said he didn’t see anything, but if Pierzynski did it …. it was okay.
“That’s like if somebody’s squaring around to bunt, they put their bat in the catcher’s path so he can’t come up and make the throw. That’s part of the game,” he said. “That’s not dirty at all.”
Maddon also pondered how the Sox seemed to pick the right pitch on which to steal in going 3-for-3 against Navarro, who was among the best in the league in throwing out runners in the regular season. Wise stole on a high fastball, Maddon said, but Brian Anderson and Juan Uribe guessed right on breaking pitches.
Nope, Wise said, suppressing a grin.
“You’ve just got to your pitch, man, and hope they’ll throw a curveball in the dirt or something like that. I guess that’s been the issue,” he said.

South Side showdown

About an hour to game time in Chicago and the Rays are finishing up BP, without Carl Crawford. It's a rather ominous start to a monstrous game for the AL East champions, although Crawford is in the lineup and the injury was not serious. Certainly, the Rays' dominance at Tropicana Field would bode well in a Game 5 on Wednesday if the White Sox tie the series, but would you really want the season to come down to a one-game playoff? No. Especially since Chicago has made such games their speciality the past few weeks.

(Pictured: The Rays' Cliff Floyd, right, shares a laugh with the White Sox's Ken Griffey Jr. before Monday's game in Chicago. Times photo -- James Borchuck. Click to enlarge.)

"Don't wake up the dog. Because you never know what will happen."

- White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, discussing his assessment that the Rays, having led the ALDS 2-0 (and now 2-1) have more pressure on them to close out the series than his team does to come back. Guillen wielded the mantra after Sox jumped ahead 3-0 in each of their playoff series wins en route to the 2005 World Series title.

Comments

[Helene]

WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

*clangs phantom cowbell*

[Amanda]

9=8
I'm not going to apologize for my BJ bashing, because I feel that it was, in fact, appropriate at the time. However, I think you're directing your comment at the "he can't hit, let's trade him for a bag of baseballs and a packet of peanuts" people.
I never took real issue with his hitting, especially not after it came out that his shoulder was as screwed up as it was, nor did I ever want him traded. My comments were more along the lines of, "This kid needs to grow up, stop pouting, and hustle out every single freaking ground ball before I personally throttle his scrawny neck". I don't think I was out of line for that, do you?

[9equals8.com]

I'll take apologies now from all of you that have bashed BJ for so long (and I've been one of the very few to keep the faith on this board). BJ has always been a special player with all the weapons to be dangerous. It's not pretty apparant that the rest he got when he had that quad injury has also helped his bum shoulder. For those of you that want to ship him out of town can eat some dirt. This kid is going to be a rock star for the Rays and we have him locked up until 2012!!!

Great game, BJ!!! And, Go Rays!!!

[Aaron]

Red Sux Ricki, do you really think Mark Kotsay is better than Carlos Pena (1B) and Ellsbury is better than Upton (CF). Jason Bay has more power than CC, but defensively CC is better (LF) so it's a wash. Longoria better than Lowell (3B), Pedroia better than Aki (debatable), Navarro better than Tek. REally....I don't see how this is a debate....I'll give you RF (JD Drew?) but the Gabe Gross/Rocco/Hinskie/Gomes pupu platter stacks up...Ortiz is a better professional hitter than Dr. Huxtable, but Floyd is still the man

[Red Sox Ricki]

Rob, have some class.
These emails are fun, read your fellow Rays. Act like you have been there before.
Please get back on your meds...

[melissa]

Excellent game guys! And way to go BJ!

[Mack]

Woohoo!! Finally! Our boys will be recognized for the talented TEAM they are! We are behind you all the way!

[Red Sox Ricki]

Rob,
Not very much class. Read your fellow Rays fans emails, this is fun.
Get back on your meds.

Congrats to the Rays' The game with the Chicago White Sox today was great. Go Rays go.

[ralph]

Mack please keep it clean! thanks :)

[Me]

Well i didnt mean poor, but he just looked so upset everytime he struck out, its so unlike him. But they all look sooo happy and I love that! did we find out when they are coming home yet?

[Rob]

Feel the Heat!!!! Red Sux Ricki: some guy's a hole: you been there and i'm sure you've licked that. F-You!

[Amanda]

I love the standing ovation the White Sox fans are still giving their boys. Very classy.

[CJ]

SWEET!!!!!!

[Red Sox Ricki]

Congrats. Impressive.

[Mack]

Not real sure "poor" is the best adjective...lol But he is a Rays boy for a long time to come... smart signing, Maddon!

[Me]

Poor longo :( he has done so well all season and the other games..

[Mack]

Hey all, not sweating so much tonight - almost afraid to speak - but it's looking good - I am most thankful for how our Rays have developed - we have filled the gaps with unselfish players - A threat to be reckoned with - Go Rays!

[BRANT]

Renegade, checking.

[Rays Renegade]

Are the Rays coming home tonight or in the a.m.?

Come on Marc, give us some info dude

[Red Sox Ricki]

Thanks for the ball/strike update.
Just sounds like your pictures are throwing a lot of strikes and getting
ahead early in the count.
See you all at Fergs before game one.
GOOD LUCK>

[Me]

No, no way. there was maybe one call that should have been a strike. other then that i think its been pretty fair.

[diehard rays]

Hey fellow Rays fans, normally I wouldn't share this info but I want to help as many Tampa ppl as possible. If we end up playing the Redsox buy up as many tickets as you can. The boston fans will pay 3 to 4 times more than face value. Last time they were in tampa I sold 20 tickets for 100 dollars a piece - just think how much they would pay for playoff tickets. Anyway, just trying to help out any fellow rays fans!

Go Rays (in 5!)

On a sidenote I'm surprised Maddon wouldn't want to clinch the series at home? I thought this guy was in the running for manager of the year? Even I know the home crowd deserves the celebration more than the white sox fans.

[Amanda]

Ricki-
According to the strike zone box on TBS, there was one bad call. One. And no worse than a couple bad calls against the Rays yesterday.

[BRANT]

Ricki,
The non-call on the third strike to Pena hurt, but I don't think it has affected the course of the game.

[Red Sox Ricki]

Radio annoucers saying the umps are hosing the Sox with horrible balls and strikes.
Any truth?

[BRANT]

I don't think Alexander the Great needed tickets, but he would probably agree.

[diehard rays]

haha did he really say that bryant?

sorry i am as big a rays fan as anyone on here I PROMISE YOU that but i know we will win in game 5 so tonight i'm pulling for a whitesox comebeck.

[BRANT]

diehard,
"The pathway to glory is paved with unused tickets."
- Alexander the Great

[diehard rays]

I'm so torn. I want a Rays world championship more than anything but I have 15 game 5 tickets I can sell if they lose today. I hope the ChiSox can force game 5 and we win then. Looks like our Rays may be too good though...

[Mandy]

Former Marlins fan here but converted Rays fan. Go Rays! I always was a Rays fan but it was hard not to be a Marlins fan after 2003. But the Rays have earned my respect. I bleed Rays colors!

[Me]

Why does he keep talking like they are done??? Does he not realize that if they win this game they move on to the next round?? I think Franco is confused.

[the Franko]

All I'm saying is don't listen to those redsox yankees fans. They can say we 'stole' the division all they want but we know that just because they had down years doesn't take away from the fact that we were able to sneak in and finish with the most wins in the division.

Next year maybe we can even go far in the playoffs - the future is open to us. If we have another good season next year I will definitely root for them again in the playoffs - it's time for us fans to show why we are the best in sports.

Great year Rays - I can't wait for next year!

[Mike]

ALCS here we come!! howell coming in to take care of the 7th....balfour in the 8th....bradford/ wheeler in the 9th. Here we go boys lets get it done!! Keep the bats going!! Tack in 2 more an dits lights out for these Pale Hoes OOPS I mean hose!!!!!!!!

[Me]

Yeah amanda, what game is Franco watching?? because the one I am watching shows them winning and taking over the Sox. ??? Hmmmm...must be a Red Sox fan.

[BRANT]

I think the franco was utilizing irony and not the Alanis Morisette kind of irony, the real irony.

[CJ]

Welp The franco, are you watching the same game I am?

Rays 5 white Sox 2 in the 6th

[Steve-O]

Wow - the Rays are sooo good. I've really only rooted for the Bucs as far as Tampa goes but the rays have earned me as a fan. Now that they are winning I have had a great time rooting for them. They need the rest of us die-hard fans out there supporting them so let's go Tampa help our Rays win this!

[Red Sox Ricki]

Been there, done that.

[Amanda]

Franco-
1. "Sneaking in"? We won the AL East!
2. Are we watching the same series, here?

[The franco]

Welp it looks like the season is winding down. I am so proud of my Rays for sneaking in and making the playoffs. Looks like they won't quite have the experience to beat the white sox but we all have to agree this was a marked improvement from last year. We should be a contender for the division again next year - now let's focus on hockey season! Great season Rays!

[Me]

Ah hem Ricki, its the "Rays" not the devil rays. We took the devil out and not were kickin your but so your just upset :)

[BRANT]

That looks pretty even. What's the intangible that puts the Red Sox over.

[Red Sox Ricki]

Breakdown
1st base US MGR Terry over
2nd Base US Drew Carey
SS Devil Rays
3rd Devil Rays
LF US
CF US
RF Devil Rays
C Devil Rays
Pitching EVEN

[BRANT]

You're not concerned about Beckett? And the Rays won the season series.

[Red Sox Ricki]

"IF" the Devil Rays win and face us,
it will be us in 5.
Your team is young and had a good year, and you should be proud.
Good luck next year.

[BRANT]

Ricki, while we have you. Break down a possible Red Sox-Rays rematch for me. I assume you have strong feelings on the sunject.

[Amanda]

Oh, and the "(wo)man" comment wasn't meant to be used as an insult. The spelling RICKI is the feminine spelling, but the blind aggression seems like a masculine (or at least testosterone-laden) trait. Honestly not sure which one it is.

[Amanda]

"I guess you don't read Sports Illustrated". Ah, nice evasive comment from a (wo)man who has NO idea what they're talking about.

[BRANT]

He never listens to me.