Lee does it again; Rangers beat Rays

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

Cliff Lee added another impressive line to his growing October resume, putting the Texas Rangers on his back and carrying them into the AL championship series for the first time.

Lee tossed another postseason gem and Texas won a playoff series for the first time, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 Tuesday night in a decisive Game 5 on the legs of some daring base-running.

Lee struck out 11 in a six-hitter for his second win over Rays ace David Price in a series in which the road team won every game — a first in major league history.

“It was a lot of fun, I know that much,” Lee said. “We had our back against the wall today and we came out and performed.”

The Rangers will play host to the wild-card New York Yankees in the opener of the best-of-7 ALCS on Friday night. Texas’ previous three playoff appearances ended with first-round losses to New York, in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

The teams split eight games during the regular season, with the Rangers winning the final four.

“They’re a great team and that’s why they are where they are,” Lee said. “They’re going to be a good challenge, just like these guys.”

Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning for Texas, which had been the only active major league franchise that hadn’t won a playoff series.

Lee improved to 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA and three complete games in seven career postseason starts, striking out 54 and walking six in 561/3 innings.

The left-hander, acquired from Seattle in July, threw 120 pitches and walked none. He retired his final nine batters and prevented Tampa Bay from completing an improbable comeback after losing the first two games at home.

When B.J. Upton popped out to shortstop for the final out, Lee didn’t even watch the ball drop into Elvis Andrus’ glove. He simply walked toward catcher Bengie Molina and the two hugged as Rangers players poured onto the field to mob Lee near the plate.

A pair of Rangers runners scored from second base on infield grounders — thanks to heads-up baserunning by Elvis Andrus and Vladimir Guerrero.

Jason Bartlett had three hits off Lee, but the Rays went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, with that lone hit being Ben Zobrist’s RBI single that tied it 1-all in the third.

But a sellout crowd of 41,845 was not enough to keep the Rays’ bats from going silent again.