Associated Press
BOSTON ó Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-out, two-run single off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied past Boston 7-6 in Game 3 Sunday, advancing to the AL championship series with their first postseason sweep in franchise history.The Red Sox intentionally walked Torii Hunter with runners on second and third to bring up Guerrero, a star who had long been waiting for a big October hit. Guerrero capped the three-run comeback with his go-ahead hit off Papelbon, who had never before allowed a run in the postseason.
The Angels joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat St. Louis, with first-round sweeps. The victory kept open the possibility of a Freeway Series ó this is the first time the Angels and Dodgers are in the league championship series in the same year.
Down 5-1 early and still trailing 6-4 in the ninth, the Angels began their rally when Erick Aybar singled on a two-strike pitch. Chone Figgins walked and Bobby Abreu hit an RBI double for the first postseason run Papelbon had allowed.
After Hunter was walked intentionally, Guerrero, who had one RBI in his previous 19 postseason games, singled sharply to center on the first pitch.
The AL West champion Angels came streaming out of the dugout and Jered Weaver joined his teammates on-field waving the jersey of Nick Adenhart, who was killed in an April car crash with a man who has been charged with drunken driving.
Yankees 4, Twins 1MINNEAPOLIS ó Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada hit seventh-inning home runs to spoil Carl Pavano’s opportunity to frustrate New Yorkers one more time, and the Yankees advanced to their first AL championship series in five years.
Mariano Rivera closed out Gama 3 ó the last baseball game at the Metrodome ó to preserve Andy Pettitte’s record-tying 15th career postseason win.
Game 1 of the ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels will be at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. The teams were 5-5 against each this season with the Yankees winning three of the final four games.
Nick Punto wasted his leadoff double in the eighth by failing to see that Denard Span’s single didn’t get past shortstop Derek Jeter, and he was thrown out trying to retreat to third base wasting a chance to tie the game.
Rodriguez went 5 for 11 with two homers and six RBIs in these three games.
Pettitte retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced.