ALCS Game Four Recap: They Can Zing, They Can Dance, Knuckleballs Were a Chance

Red Sox fans packed into Fenway Park Tuesday night, hoping to see Tim Wakefield's knuckleball's look like Kristi Yamaguchi on this season's Dancing With The Stars.

The game started off hopefully when Tim Wakefield utilized his knuckleball to make Tampa Bay's Akinori Iwamura look like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. But Wakefield's first strikeout of the night was immediately followed up by four-pitch walk to the speedy B.J. Upton, a two-run homer to Carlos Pena, and a solo shot over the monster to Evan Longoria. It seemed almost as quickly as the game started, so did the bullpen.

Wakefield looked to be back on form in the second inning when he retired the side, but when he returned for duty in the third, he gave up another two-run zinger to Willy Aybar. With the score now 5-0 and Dioner Navarro up to bat, Terry Francona began pacing in the Boston dugout. Navarro reached on a single to left field, and that was the end of Wakefield's night.

Justin Masterson, a starter turned set-up man, came and fanned Fernando Perez to end the inning. Masterson had exceptional command and looked to be the most successful Boston pitcher of the evening. Going two-and-one-third innings, "Monsterson" gave up two hits, a run, and earned four strikeouts. Javier Lopez had better numbers than Masterson, as the three runs he gave up were all charged to Delcarmen.

Boston's first run of the game came in the form of Kevin Cash's first postseason home-run, a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third.

Manny Delcarmen came on to start the sixth for Boston, relieving Masterson. Delcarmen struck out the first batter he faced, Fernando Perez, with a series of 99 MPH fastballs before he took Perez down swinging with a 78 MPH change up.

Amazed by his 21 MPH change in speed, it looked as though Tampa Bay hitter's were going to be as equally stumped as they were expected to be off Wakefield's knucklers.  But that thought quickly faded as Delcarmen walked three batters, including a no-vacancy walk that put the Rays up 8-1 in the top of the sixth and brought on Javier Lopez for Boston.

Kevin Youkilis drove in David Ortiz in the bottom of the seventh, after Ortiz tripled with some help from the right field wall, closing the gap to a nine-point difference.

Mike Timlin took over for Lopez to start things off in the eighth. Mighty Mike gave up a RBI triple to Carl Crawford, followed by a RBI single to Willy Aybar before getting Dioner Navarro to hit into a double play to end the inning.

Boston got a small rally going in the bottom of the eighth when Dustin Pedroia singled to shallow center, allowing Jed Lowrie to score from second. The RBI caused Tampa Bay to worry that they might lose their, now, 10-point lead and prompted them to pull starter Andy Sonnanstine after throwing only 97 pitches in only seven-and-one-third innings. 

Trever Miller came on in relief for Tampa Bay to face Big Papi, whom he was able to take down swinging. Next batter, Kevin Youkilis, doubled to left center, scoring "mini-me" Dustin Pedroia from second. As Tampa Bay's lead dwindled away to a mere nine points, they brought in reliever Edwin Jackson. Jackson struck out Jason Bay with an onslaught of 99 MPH heaters.

Mighty Mike was able to retire the side in the top of the ninth and kept the spread at nine as Jackson came back out to work for the Rays. Jackson struck out Sean Casey before delivering eight-straight balls to put the dangerous combo of Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury on base. But after a visit from pitching coach Jim Hickey, the West German mustard pitcher was able relax and strike out Jed Lowrie and J.D. Drew to end the game.

Both teams have an off day before action resumes again on Thursday at Fenway.  Boston fans will be hoping for a 2007 performance and a chance to defend their "World Champions" status, while Tampa Bay looks to earn their first trip to the Fall Classic. 

The game is scheduled for 8:07 ET, with Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound for Boston and James Shields on the hill for Tampa Bay.