Recap: Boston vs. Tampa Bay

By Sports Network

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Willy Aybar and Carl Crawford combined for nine hits and drove in seven runs, as the Tampa Bay Rays again battered the Boston Red Sox, 13-4, in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, putting the defending World Series champions on the brink of playoff elimination.

Before this year, the Rays never had a winning record. Now, they're one win away from their first World Series appearance, taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the ALCS, capturing the last two games by a combined 22-5 count.

The Rays hit four homers in a big win Monday, and one night later Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and Aybar all went deep off Tim Wakefield, as Tampa Bay knocked out the knuckleball specialist in the third inning. Longoria has homered in three straight games, and Pena on back-to-back nights. In fact, the duo hit consecutive homers in the first inning off Wakefield, and Longoria set a rookie record with his fifth home run of the playoffs.

Crawford tied an ALCS record with five hits, going 5-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. Aybar was 4-for-5 with five RBI for the Rays, who have posted 31 runs and 10 homers in winning the last three games.

Andy Sonnanstine (2-0) threw a strong 7 1/3 innings, yielding six hits and four runs, three of them earned.

Wakefield (0-1) was lifted after surrendering six hits and five runs through 2 2/3 innings, and reliever Manny Delcarmen struggled while recording just one out in the sixth when he was charged with five runs on two hits and three walks.

The Rays can clinch the series in Game 5 Thursday night, again at Fenway Park. They'll have to face Daisuke Matsuzaka, who took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before helping Boston to a 2-0 win in Game 1. James Shields, who pitched admirably in the series opener, will take the mound for the Rays.

Although Tampa Bay holds a commanding lead, winning three straight in the ALCS wouldn't be unprecedented for the Red Sox. They overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the New York Yankees in 2004, and last year rallied from down 3-1 to top Cleveland, on the way to a second World Series title in four years.

If the Red Sox are to get back in the series, they'll have to hit better with runners in scoring position. Thus far, they're 6-for-34 in those situations. Conversely, Tampa Bay went 8-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday.