american league baseball

BOSTON -- In a game filled with improbable moments, the Boston Red Sox' biggest hero was as unlikely as anyone. Jed Lowrie began this season playing 53 games in Class AAA Pawtucket and continued his dream rookie season in the majors by driving in the run that clinched Boston's A.L. Division Series Wednesday night at Fenway Park.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The bloated payroll teams never heard the beat, were too arrogant to listen to the sound of the Tampa Bay Rays cruising to glory. But down here, it's the tune everyone's been talking about -- a sweet melody of victory that's been reverberating through the domed ceiling of Tropicana Field as the Rays rose from last to American League East champions.

Sure, it's en vogue to cheer for the A.L. East-champion Tampa Bay Rays these days. But who was rooting for them back in the era of Wilson Alvarez and Vince Naimoli? Knobbs and the Hulkster, that's who.

Sportswriters, like lawyers, can argue both sides of a case. They just don't get paid as much to do it. Bearing in mind that you get what you pay for, here is an argument for why the Red Sox could sweep the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Division Series that opens Wednesday night in Anaheim. And also one for why the Angels could sweep the Red Sox.

BOSTON -- Terry Francona has been around professional baseball his entire life. It is what he knows best.

Next week the Tampa Bay Rays will host the first playoff game at Tropicana Field. Typically, teams haul out one of the legendary stars from their past to toss out the ceremonial first pitch. You know, someone like Yogi Berra (Yankees), Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox) or Ernie Banks (Cubs).

The Minnesota Twins were 1-7 in Nick Blackburn's past eight starts before Wednesday night when he was the winning pitcher in a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at the Metrodome. The right-hander allowed two runs and eight hits in five innings.

BOSTON -- Four games left, but more than a few questions and issues remain for the Boston Red Sox before the playoffs begin. Among them: -- HEALTH AND HAPPINESS Wednesday night, outfielder J.D. Drew returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a month.

Dear Babe: When my son was a teenager, he earned spending money by setting up as a dealer at baseball card shows. He still has in his possession an unopened 1982 Topps vending case (12,000 cards). After, 26 years, I assume it has significantly increased in value from the original purchase price of $186. -- Joe Dougherty, Murrieta, Calif.

BOSTON -- Second baseman Dustin Pedroia sat in the Boston Red Sox' dugout Monday afternoon and gazed at the A.L. East standings on the left-field wall at Fenway Park. He thought out loud that the Red Sox had won 91 games and were on the verge of their fifth postseason appearance in the last six years. Impressive.