Rays level series after win over Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - B.J. Upton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning drove in the winning run for the Tampa Bay Rays for a 9-8 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, which leveled their American League Championship series at one game apiece.

The five-hour 27 minute game ended at 1.35am local time on Sunday and featured 24 hits and seven home runs, four by the Red Sox and three by the Rays.

Mike Timlin, the seventh Boston pitcher of the game, walked Dioner Navarro and Ben Zobrist to start the 11th inning. A ground ball by Jason Bartlett put runners on second and third and Akinori Iwamura was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Upton hit a short fly ball to right fielder J.D. Drew and pinch runner Fernando Perez slid home safely with the winning run.

Boston won the first game of the best-of-seven series 2-0 on Friday.

The series shifts to Fenway Park in Boston for games three, four and five on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

If games six and seven are needed, they will be played in St. Petersburg on October 18 and 19.

"So many guys did such a wonderful job," Rays manager Joe Maddon told reporters. "I'm proud of all of them."

Upton also had one of the three Rays homers in the third inning. Evan Longoria and Cliff Floyd also homered for Tampa Bay, with Longoria doubling twice.

Dustin Pedroia hit two home runs for Boston and Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay also homered.

"We still had a chance to win the game and we couldn't pull it off," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Rookie left-hander David Price, the seventh Rays pitcher, got the win in relief.

Boston tied the game at 8-8 in the top of the eighth inning on a wild pitch by Rays pitcher Dan Wheeler.

(Editing by Martin Petty)