Ellsbury homers to save Red Sox's wild-card lead
Sunday, September 25, 2011
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Red Sox salvaged their AL wild-card lead Sunday when Jacoby Ellsbury hit a two-out, three-run homer in the 14th inning of the nightcap of a day-night doubleheader, lifting Boston over the New York Yankees 7-4.
The Red Sox rallied from 3-0 deficit to snap a three-game skid and head into their final series with a one-game lead over Tampa Bay.
Boston held a nine-game lead over the Rays entering play Sept. 4 but has gone 5-16 since then. Up by 1 1-2 games to start the day, the Red Sox nearly wasted that entire lead after losing the opener 6-2 despite Ellsbury's two homers. Combined with the Rays' 5-2 win over Toronto, the Red Sox went into the second game with a half-game lead.
Boston finishes in Baltimore, while Tampa Bay hosts the Yankees, who already have clinched the AL record and homefield advantage through the AL championship series.
