Red Sox Advance To ALCS – MLB Roundup For Oct. 9th

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have played themselves into the American League Championship Series for the 10th time, doing it with excellent pitching and a few timely hits.

Shane Victorino singled home the tiebreaking run and Xander Bogaerts (ZAN'-dur BOH'-gahrts) scored twice as the Red Sox pulled out a 3-1 win over Tampa Bay in Game 4 of the division series. The Rays led 1-0 until Bogaerts scored the tying run on a wild pitch, moments before Victorino drove in Jacoby Ellsbury. Dustin Pedroia (peh-DROY'-uh) added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to cap the scoring.

Jake Peavy and the Boston bullpen held the Rays to six hits, just one coming after the sixth inning. Peavy carried a shutout until the sixth, but the game remained scoreless until David DeJesus singled home Yunel Escobar (yoo-NEHL' EHS'-koh-bahr) to give Tampa Bay a brief lead.

Koji Uehara (KOH'-jee way-HAH'-rah) picked up a four-out save, one night after giving up a walkoff homer that extended the series.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers trailed 3-0 and were still looking for their first hit of the afternoon before everything broke right for them.

The Tigers have forced a fifth game in the American League Division Series by rallying for an 8-6 win over the Oakland Athletics. The game turned on Jhonny Peralta's (JAH'-nee peh-RAHL'-tahz) game-tying, three-run homer in the fifth inning after Detroit collected back-to-back singles.

The Tigers tied the score again in the seventh on a solo blast by Victor Martinez. The A's argued that the home run shouldn't count because of fan interference, but it was upheld following video review.

Detroit finally went ahead 5-4 on Austin Jackson's RBI single later in the seventh, but the lead looked precarious once the Athletics loaded the bases against reliever Max Scherzer with nobody out in the eighth. Scherzer wiggled out of trouble by fanning the next two hitters before Alberto Callaspo (ky-AS'-poh) lined out to center, ending the threat.

Scherzer replaced Tigers starter Doug Fister, who allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings.

The Tigers went ahead 8-4 with a three-run eighth, capped by Omar Infante's two-run double. Detroit's final rally became crucial once Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EH'-nehs SEHS'-peh-dehs) hit a two-run single off Joaquin Benoit (wah-KEEN' BEHN'-wah) in the ninth. Benoit ended the game by fanning Seth Smith.

Game 5 is slated for Thursday at Oakland.

UNDATED (AP) — New York Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner wants Joe Girardi to remain with the team and is awaiting the manager's decision on a new contract.

Girardi's current deal expires at the end of the month, and the team offered a new agreement last week.

The Yankees failed to make the postseason for the second time in 19 years, finishing 85-77 while All-Stars Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson missed much of the season. It was the team's worst record since 1992.

Also in the majors:

— Matt Kemp was scheduled to undergo cleanup surgery on his left shoulder on Tuesday, a procedure that was planned before the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was shut down for the postseason because of a sprained left ankle. Kemp is expected to be ready for spring training.

— Former Phillies manager and shortstop Larry Bowa has returned to the team as bench coach under manager Ryne Sandberg. Besides Bowa, Pete Mackanin also is coming back to the Phillies to be the third-base coach after serving as the bench coach for former skipper Charlie Manuel from 2009-12.

— Angels hitting coach Jim Eppard and bench coach Rob Picciolo will not return next season. Manager Mike Scioscia (SOH'-shuh) and general manager Jerry Dipoto made the announcement together Tuesday night, likely indicating they're both returning to the club in 2014.

— The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back manager Kirk Gibson next season, but pitching coach Charles Nagy and first base coach Steve Sax have been fired. Arizona finished 81-81 for the second straight season to miss the playoffs for the second straight year after winning the NL West in 2011.