was fun to live through that and to actually live. So

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Clay Buchholz had a strong performance in what might have been his final start before returning to the bullpen.Buchholz pitched into the seventh inning, David Ortiz had a run-scoring single and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Tuesday night to remain tied atop the AL East.Was never really challenged in terms of a long pitch count inside of one given inning, Boston manager John Farrell said. To get into the seventh inning was an outstanding job on his part.Buchholz (5-9) allowed one run, five hits, two walks and struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander was inserted into the rotation on Aug. 13 after injuries to a couple starting pitchers.Hes playing a huge role for us right now given the situation where some guys have been nicked up, Farrell said.In his last five starts at Tropicana Field, Buchholz has given up two earned runs over 33 1/3 innings.Two injured Boston starters, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez, could return shortly.Just tried to make the most of it, Buchholz said.Ortiz extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI single in the third. Ortiz scored to make it 2-0 when right fielder Steven Souza Jr. made an errant throw attempting to get Ortiz at third base after fielding Mookie Betts single.Obviously in hindsight I would rather not have thrown it, but I knew David Ortiz was running, Souza said. But it was a bad throw and it cost us a run.Boston is tied with Toronto, which beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2.Chris Archer (7-17) gave up two runs, five hits and threw 109 pitches in five innings for the Rays. The last 20-game loser in the majors was Detroits Mike Maroth (21) in 2003.Archer won his first career start against the Red Sox on Sept. 19, 2012 but has dropped 10 straight decisions to them since.The Rays got an RBI double from Kevin Kiermaier in the fifth.The speedy Kiermaier was thrown out trying for a triple in the eighth by Betts from right field.Accuracy, Ive been pretty good Betts said. But hard (throws) was something I didnt know I could do. I think we were all kind of surprised there.Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs for his 23rd save.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: Farrell said Wright (strained right shoulder) is on tap to start Friday night against Kansas City after an extended bullpen session Tuesday. ... Rodriguez (left hamstring) had a three-inning simulated game. The team will evaluate him Wednesday. ... C Ryan Hanigan (left ankle) hit against Rodriguez. ... RHP Koji Uehara (right pectoral strain) threw 33 pitches in his first mound session and will be evaluated in a week.Rays: SS Tim Beckham left after seven innings due to left hamstring tightness.BIG PAPI POINTSOrtiz moved past Bobby Doerr into sixth place on Bostons career list with 2,043 hits. He has 1,739 RBIs, which is one away from tying Rafael Palmeiro for the ninth most in AL history.UP NEXTRed Sox RHP Rick Porcello (17-3), 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay this season, faces Rays RHP Matt Andriese (6-5) on Wednesday night. JaVale McGee Lakers Jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/Jerry-West-Jersey/ . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Lance Stephenson Lakers Jersey . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Nick Van Exel Lakers Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays survived their first elimination game of the postseason on Tuesday by defeating the Cleveland Indians 5-1 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.Now they must try to do it again in Game 5 on Wednesday at Rogers Centre.Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has given the assignment to right-hander Marco Estrada, who took the loss in Game 1 despite pitching Torontos only complete game of the season -- a 2-0 loss to Corey Kluber.The Indians will go with left-handed rookie Ryan Merritt, who will be making his postseason debut after spending most of the season at Triple-A Columbus.The Blue Jays five runs Tuesday were more than they had scored in the three previous games combined (three). It helped when a home run by Josh Donaldson gave them a 1-0 lead in the third and an RBI flare single by Ezequiel Carrera in the fourth gave them a 2-0 lead.You know, I liked being able to get the lead there early on in the game, Donaldson said. We havent been able to get a lead in this series. And I felt like it was very important for us to get out to a lead. And even if it was one run, whatever. ... In the playoffs, these games arent going to come easy to win. Theyve played great defense. Theyve pitched well and had timely hits.The Indians were able to get through Tuesday without using their two best relievers, right-hander Cody Allen and left-hander Andrew Miller. Both played vital roles in the first three games of the series. They will be rested for Game 5.I think that helps, Indians manager Terry Francona said. Certainly when youre down one trying to keep it at one so we have a chance, but also recognizing that if Miller and Cody pitch, that would have been four out of five pretty high-stress, high-leverage innings.(I) decided to try to go a different route. Didnt work out as well as we wanted, but we do have those guys available with a day off behind it.Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run single and Kevin Pillar had a sacrifice fly.Blue Jays manager John Gibbons felt like his team approached the game like theyy normally would.ddddddddddddReally, everything, almost like a normal day, Gibbons said. Obviously its not, but it was almost like a normal regular-season game. They were nice, loose and relaxed, well aware of the circumstances. They showed up today like they always do and played a good ballgame.Francona was down 3-0 in the 2004 ALCS when he was managing the Boston Red Sox. They became the first major-league team to come back from a 3-0 disadvantage, beating the New York Yankees in seven games. They then went on to win the World Series.Im proud of that, obviously, Francona said before the game Tuesday. That was a wonderful four days. I dont think the first three were that great. But it ended -- it was fun to live through that and to actually live. So I guess if people ask, I dont mind it, because like I said, I was proud of those guys. ... But this is a different time, a different team, very different circumstances.Merritt has pitched in four regular-season games, including one start, and is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA. In 24 starts at Columbus, he was 11-8 with a 3.70 ERA.If you told me at the start of the season I was going to be pitching in the ALCS, I wouldve thought you were crazy, Merritt said. Its awesome. Im glad its here.Estrada allowed two runs in eight innings in the 2-0 loss in Game 1 at Progressive Field. He allowed six hits and one walk and struck out six.In his regular-season start against Cleveland this season, he allowed three runs in five innings. In two career regular-season starts vs. Cleveland, he is 0-0 with a 3.75 ERA.Weve got to win, Estrada said. Thats basically it. Im going to go out and do what Ive basically done all year and not really think about it as an elimination game. Ill just think about it just as another game. My job is to try to go nine innings and give up zero runs. So it doesnt matter if its the last game of the season, the first game, you want to do that every time out. ' ' '