ALCS Game Two: Pedroia the Destroia's Laser Show Doesn't Stop Rays

433 pitches, 24 hits, 17 runs, 14 pitchers, 11 innings, seven home runs, five hours and 27 minutes, and one heck of a ball game! 

That's what went on inside the dome at Tropicana Field Saturday night for Game Two of the ALCS matchup as Boston's Josh Beckett took the mound against Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir.

The Boston Red Sox got to Scott Kazmir early with a two-out double off the bat of Jason Bay that scored David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis to put the Sox up by two in the top of the first.

Tampa Bay wasted no time as Evan Longoria went yard for a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to tie the game.

A struggling Dustin Pedroia hit one of his patented "lasers" over the left field wall to put the Sox back up on top and leave Red Sox fans saying, "Heeeeeee's baaaaack."

But that lead didn't last long as Josh Beckett gave up a home run to B.J. Upton in the bottom of the third.  Upton's jolt over the wall and deep into the bleachers was followed by a double from Evan Longoria.  Longo scored four pitches later when Carl Crawford singled to right, giving Tampa Bay their first lead in the game.

Beckett continued to struggle and gave up another homer to Tampa Bay's left fielder, Cliff Floyd, putting Tampa Bay up 5-3 over the Sox.

Two pitches into the top of the fifth, Dustin "Pedroia the Destroia" went yard for the second time of the night.  Back-to-back solo shots over the left field wall put Boston within one.

After a fly out by Big Papi, it was Kevin Youkilis' turn to blast one over the left field wall and tie the game up at five a piece.  Youk's four-bagger-blast prompted Rays skipper Joe Maddon to pull starter Scott Kazmir and bring in Grant Balfour.

The first batter to face Balfour was postseason rookie Jason Bay.  And on a 2-2 count it was Bay who dialed long distance, belting one over the left field wall to give Boston a 6-5 lead.

As most thought Beckett's night would also be over, he trotted back out to the mound to work the fifth inning.  That decision led me to think Francona figured the game was still close and he wanted Beckett to keep working out the kinks that have been plaguing him this postseason.  That way he would, hopefully, be back to his 2007 postseason form if Boston needed his services later in the series.

After walking B.J. Upton, Beckett gave up a RBI base hit to Carlos Peña.  That was followed by a RBI double off the bat of Evan Longoria, who was then able to advance to third on the throw home by left fielder Jason Bay in an attempt to get Pena out at the plate. 

Beckett was pulled and replaced by Javier Lopez in the sixth inning.  Lopez gave up a RBI base hit to Crawford on his first pitch. 

That was also his last pitch, as Boston then brought in Manny Delcarmen.  Delcarmen was able to get Boston out of the inning, but Tampa Bay was now up eight to six.

Boston answered back with a RBI double from Jason Bay, which scored Pedroia from second.  The inning ended on a pop fly from Jed Lowrie, and Boston was still down by one.

Top of the eighth: Pedroia the Destroia was looking to get his third zinger of the night to tie the game but settled for a nice base hit to right field.  Pedroia advanced to second after Big Papi was walked.  Youk hit into a double play, but Pedroia was able to advance to third. 

Then, on a 3-0 count, reliever Trever Miller delivered a strike that catcher Dioner Navarro wasn't able to grab a hold of.  The ball sailed all the way to the backstop, and Pedroia was able to score the tying run.

Hideki Okajima, who worked the seventh and eighth innings, giving up zero hits, was relieved by Justin Masterson in the ninth.  "Monsterson" only went went two-thirds of an inning before Terry Francona decided to push the envelope and bring in Papelbon, as Pedroia, Papi, and Youk were due up in the 10th.

But it was three up, three down for the top and bottom halves of the 10th.

After Boston left two on in the top of the eleventh, Mike Timlin came on in the bottom of the 11th to relieve Jonathan Papelbon. 

As Red Sox fans tried to shut the memory of September 10th's loss to the Rays when Timlin gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Peña in the top of the 14th at Fenway, Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell stormed out of the dugout to argue balls and strikes with home plate ump Sam Holbrook. 

Farrell was ejected.

After Timlin walked the first two batters, he was able to get Jason Bartlett to ground out and get the first out of the inning.  But now the game-winning run was 90 feet away.

Boston opted to load the bases and try for the double play, but the plan backfired when B.J. Upton hit a sacrifice fly to right and pinch runner Fernando Perez was able to score from third to win the game.

Beckett went four and one-third innings, giving up nine hits, eight runs, and three homers and striking out five.  It's hard to say what to expect from Beckett this postseason, as he's let his postseason ERA slip to a disastrous 11.57.

The ALCS is now tied at one a piece as it heads back to Boston for Game Three on Monday, Jon Lester vs. Matt Garza.