Angels, White Sox
stave off elimination

BOSTON — The Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 after 12 innings on Sunday to prevent an American League Division Series sweep and extend their postseason participation for another day at least.

In Chicago, the White Sox battled to a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, staving off elimination in their ALDS with the Game 3 victory.

The marathon game at Fenway Park was decided in the 12th when a single to center field by Angels shortstop Erick Aybar drove in catcher Mike Napoli for the winning run.

"That game was swinging on a heartbeat for most of the night," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "Fortunately we got it done at the end of the night."

Power-hitting catcher Napoli also contributed a two-run homer in the third inning and a solo home run in the fifth.

"It’s really good to have that happen for Mike Napoli," said Aybar. "He’s a guy that we count on."

The game had been tied at 4-4 from the bottom of the fifth inning, when Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis tied the score with a line-drive double to center field that drove home right fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

Boston’s starting pitcher Josh Beckett handed the Angels their first run of the game when he walked right fielder Juan Rivera with the bases loaded, allowing third baseman Chone Figgins to score.

Beckett gave up nine hits, throwing 106 pitches in five innings punctuated by constant mound conferences with catcher Jason Varitek.

"I don’t think his command was what it can be, what it will be," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona, whose team leads the best-of-five series 2-1.

Figgins, who had taken second base at his lead-off at bat, said the early hit gave his team a psychological lead.

"It puts teams on edge when you get a lead off hit to start an inning," Figgins said. "They don’t know what you are going to do."

But the Angels were by no means perfect.

They lost the early lead after a single by Ellsbury dropped in short center field between three Los Angeles fielders. That allowed all three runners who were on base to score, giving Boston a 3-1 lead.

Scioscia described the play as "a miscue."

The two teams went through a combined 12 pitchers over the 5 hour, 19 minute matchup. The Angels’ Jered Weaver was credited with the win.

The White Sox rallied for three runs in the fourth inning to give starting pitcher John Danks a lead he would not relinquish in a strong 6 2/3 inning outing by the left-hander.

"As soon as the ball came out of his hand, I felt good about it because you could see his stuff was there," said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen.

After losing the first two games of the series on the road, the White Sox needed a solid outing by Danks in his first career postseason start and his second must-win game in less than a week.

"If Danks loses either game... we would not be here right now," Guillen said.

Danks held division rivals the Minnesota Twins scoreless in a one-game tiebreaker last Tuesday to earn the White Sox the division crown and a playoff berth.

He struck out seven Rays on Sunday, allowing three runs on seven hits.

"I was more nervous going into the Minnesota game last week than I was this game," Danks said. "(White Sox catcher) A.J. (Pierzynski) did a good job of keeping me under control."

Tampa Bay struck first in the game, with catcher Dioner Navarro scoring from third base on an infield hit by second baseman Akinori Iwamura.

Rays starter Matt Garza could not hold the lead as the White Sox tied the game an inning later when outfielder DeWayne Wise scored on a two-out single by Pierzynski.

A run-scoring sacrifice fly by Chicago second baseman Alexei Ramirez broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth inning before a two-run double by Wise gave the White Sox a three-run lead.

"He’s tough," Pierzynski said of Garza. "Lucky for us he made a couple of mistakes and we were able to hit them."

Chicago third baseman Juan Uribe delivered another run on a two-out single to bring home Brian Anderson in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-1 for the hosts.

Rays outfielder B.J. Upton narrowed the gap with a two-run home run in the seventh that made it 5-3, but Chicago’s relief pitchers held Tampa Bay scoreless the rest of the way.

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth inning to earn his first save of the postseason.

The AL East Champion Rays, in the postseason for the first time in the franchise’s 11-year history, still lead the series 2-1 after winning the first two games against the Central Division champion White Sox.