Akinori Iwamura put Tampa Bay in front with a fifth-inning homer Friday and the Rays went on to record a 6-2 playoff victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Making their post-season debut, the Rays took a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five series. A win Sunday in Chicago would give Tampa Bay a berth in the American League Championship Series.

Iwamura hit a two-run shot off Mark Buehrle to give the Rays a 3-2 lead and they protected that advantage until they broke the game open with a three-run eighth.

Chicago came up with 12 hits off four pitchers only to leave a dozen runners on base. The White Sox broke through for two runs in the first, but left the bases loaded in that frame.

Iwamura's homer came with one out in the fifth after Jason Bartlett had singled. That made a winner out of Scott Kazmir, who lasted 5 1/3 innings while surrendering eight hits.

Buehrle was still on the mound to start the eighth, but B.J. Upton opened the inning with a triple and scored on Carl Crawford's single. Octavio Dotel relieved Buehrle and recorded two outs.

Crawford, who had stolen second, then scored on Rocco Baldelli's single and Dioner Navarro doubled home Baldelli for the game's final run.

Bookmark this news