Rays switch starters for Game 5 2008-10-15 13:36:00 |
| Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has decided to start Scott Kazmir instead of James Shields for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. |
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Rays making it look easy in Boston 2008-10-15 12:58:00 |
| (Sports Network) - Even if you thought the Tampa Bay Rays were going to beat the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, there is no way you could have predicted that the defending champions would be manhandled the way they have been in the two games played so far at Fenway Park. |
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American League Game Capsules 2008-10-15 12:43:00 |
| Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Willy Aybar and Carl Crawford combined for nine hits and drove in seven runs, as the Tampa Bay Rays again battered the Boston Red Sox, 13-4, in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, putting the defending World Series champions on the brink of playoff elimination. Before this year, the Rays never had a winning record. Now, they're one win away from their first World Series appearance, taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the ALCS, capturing the last two games by a combined 22-5 count. The Rays hit four homers in a big win Monday, and one night later Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and Aybar all went deep off Tim Wakefield, as Tampa Bay knocked out the knuckleball specialist in the third inning. Longoria has homered in three straight games, and Pena on back-to-back nights. In fact, the duo hit consecutive homers in the first inning off Wakefield, and Longoria set a rookie record with his fifth home run of the playoffs. Crawford tied an ALCS record with five hits, going 5-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. Aybar was 4-for-5 with five RBI for the Rays, who have posted 31 runs and 10 homers in winning the last three games. Andy Sonnanstine (2-0) threw a strong 7 1/3 innings, yielding six hits and four runs, three of them earned. Wakefield (0-1) was lifted after surrendering six hits and five runs through 2 2/3 innings, and reliever Manny Delcarmen struggled while recording just one out in the sixth when he was charged with five runs on two hits and three walks. Kevin Cash homered and Kevin Youkilis drove in two runs for Boston. The Rays can clinch the series in Game 5 Thursday night, again at Fenway Park. They'll have to face Daisuke Matsuzaka, who took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before helping Boston to a 2-0 win in Game 1. James Shields, who pitched admirably in the series opener, will take the mound for the Rays. |
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Phils try to finish off LA and advance to World Series 2008-10-15 10:33:00 |
| (Sports Network) - Cole Hamels attempts to pitch the Philadelphia Phillies into the World Series for the first time in 15 years this evening, as the team tries to finish off the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium. |
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Red Sox 3B Lowell to have surgery 2008-10-15 02:29:00 |
| Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox announced prior to Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday that injured third baseman Mike Lowell will have season-ending surgery. |
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Rays rout Red Sox again, close in on AL pennant 2008-10-15 01:27:00 |
| Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Willy Aybar and Carl Crawford combined for nine hits and drove in seven runs, as the Tampa Bay Rays again battered the Boston Red Sox, 13-4, in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, putting the defending World Series champions on the brink of playoff elimination. |
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Yankees part ways with 3B coach, pitching instructor 2008-10-14 15:07:00 |
| Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they will not renew the contract of third-base coach Bobby Meacham, and that they have dismissed pitching instructor Rich Monteleone. |
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Blue Jays' Beeston returns as CEO 2008-10-14 14:49:00 |
| Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Longtime Toronto Blue Jays executive Paul Beeston has returned to his old title of CEO on an interim basis. |
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Hang this loss on Joe Torre 2008-10-14 12:47:00 |
| (Sports Network) - I have gone out of my way to defend Joe Torre in this space the last couple of years. I could never understand why some people, especially Yankee fans, would say that those four World Series championships and 12 straight playoff appearances were all accomplished in spite of Torre, not because of him. |
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Former Cubs pitcher Foster passes away 2008-10-14 12:22:00 |
| Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Former Major League pitcher Kevin Foster died on Saturday from renal cell carcinoma. Foster was 39 years old. |
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