In the beginning, Josh Beckett and Scott Kazmir resembled pitchers at the Home Run Derby rather than ALCS Game 2 starters.  The game evolved into an extra-inning affair that ended on a shallow B.J. Upton sacrifice fly in the 11th that evened the series 1-1 between the Rays and Red Sox.

Upton hit a shallow fly to right field with the bases loaded and one out.  Pinch-runner Fernando Perez bolted for home as the glove hit J.D. Drew’s glove, the throw was late and Perez slid across the plate to give the Rays a 9-8 win to even up the ALCS 1-1 as it heads back to Boston for Game 3 on Monday.

“Like I said, in a straight-up race, I’ve got him over Seabiscuit,” laughed Rays manager Joe Maddon following Perez’s game-winning gallup.

The five hour, 27 minute was full of memorable moments:  The two teams combined for seven home runs which tied a postseason record for homers in a game.  Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria became the third-youngest player to hit three home runs in a one postseason with a two-run homer in the first inning.  Boston’s Kevin Youkilis went 3-for-6 and has not hit safely in all nine of his postseason games, the longest streak to start off a postseason career since Darin Erstad hit in nine straight games with the Los Angeles Angels from 2002 to 2005.  Teammate Jonathan Papelbon extended his Major League record scoreless inning streak to 22 innings with 1-2/3 innings of scoreless ball.  And then there’s Upton’s walk-off sacrifice fly — the sixth extra-inning walk-off sacrifice fly in postseason history.

The game was a see-saw battle and neither starter made it through the fifth inning.  The Red Sox struck for two in the first but the Rays quickly tied it in the bottom of the first on Longoria’s two-run bomb.  Boston took the lead in the third on one of Dustin Pedroia’s two home runs and the Rays answered with two in the bottom of the third for a 4-3 lead.

Tampa Bay’s Cliff Floyd homered in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead but Pedroia’s second homer and back-to-back homers by Youkilis and Jason Bay put the Red Sox back on top 6-5.  The lead was short lived as the Rays answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and took an 8-6 lead.

Bay singled home a run in the sixth and the Red Sox threatened to take back the lead in the eighth when Pedroia singled off of Chad Bradford and Trever Miller walked David Ortiz with no outs.  Maddon went to Dan Wheeler who got Youkilis to ground into a double play but a wild pitch by Wheeler scored Pedroia from third to tie the game.

The bullpens held the game in check until the bottom of the 11th when Mike Timlin replaced Papelbon.  Timlin walked Dioner Navarro and walked Ben Zobrist.  Jason Bartlett grounded out to advance Perez — running for Navarro — and Zobrist and the Red Sox intentionally walked Akinori Iwamura to load the bases to face Upton who collected the win with the walk-off sacrifice fly.

Including the regular season, the Rays have now beaten Timlin three times in the last inning with two of the three wins coming in walk-off fashion.

“How about it!  We’ve been in those kind of games often this year,” said Maddon.  “You guys that have been around us know that.  To win a game like that after yesterday is very special for this group and for the organization.”

The Rays had 45 comeback wins in the regular season and 11 walk-offs before Saturday’s exciting conclusion.

The Rays and Red Sox get back at it at Fenway Park on Monday at 4:37 PM.  Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza faces the daunting task of facing Boston’s Jon Lester who has yet to allow a run in three career postseason starts.

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RAYS’ THREE KEYS (From Season Preview)

• Manufactured Runs

Early, it was a barrage of long balls but the game-winning run scored after two walks, a Jason Bartlett grounder to move the runners to second and third, an intentional walk and a shallow sacrifice fly by Upton to score the speedy Perez from third for the winning run.

• Have Wheeler Step Up

Officially, Wheeler goes in the books with a blown save and the tying run scored on a wild pitch.  However, he nearly pitched out of a first and second no out jam against the heart of the order when he got Youkilis to ground into a double play.  Then, Wheeler proceeded to pitch 2-1/3 scoreless innings — 3-1/3 innings total — for his longest outing since August 17, 2004 as a member of the Mets.

• Play Beyond Their Experience

The Rays looked different in Game 1.  Boston’s “Big Papi” noticed some tightness in his opponent and Tampa Bay’s manager agreed with the observation.  The Rays fell behind early and battled back in the first, third, fifth and in the 11th for the win.  If there were a case of “nerves” in Game 1, they were gone by Game 2.

RED SOX’ THREE KEYS

• Safely Get From Starter to Papelbon

The Red Sox bullpen did their job, for the most part.  Starter Josh Beckett allowed eight earned runs in 4-1/3 innings and the bullpen from Javie Lopez to Papelbon pitched 5-2/3 innings of scoreless baseball.  After Papelbon exhausted his availability, the Red Sox were forced to go with Timlin who was ineffective in the 11th and took the loss.

• Get a Quality Start From Beckett or Wakefield

Beckett went 4-1/3 innings and allowed eight earned runs on nine hits and three homers.  The performance was basically the opposite of a quality start for the normally outstanding postseason pitcher.  Is the injury that caused Beckett’s ALDS start to be pushed back healed or is the suddenly ineffective veteran pitching at less than 100%?

• Make the Rays’ Starters Work

The Red Sox did exactly that against Scott Kazmir.  Like Beckett, Kazmir lasted 4-1/3 innings and threw 98 pitches.  The first inning was especially rough for Kazmir as well as the fifth where the Red Sox chased him after their second and third home runs off of the young lefty.

STAR OF THE GAME

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

A few names qualify for recognition here for the Rays but it was Longoria and his 3-for-5 performance taht gets the nod here.  Down 2-0 in the first, Longoria got the young Rays right back into the game with a two-run homer.  He scored the go-ahead run in the third on a Carl Crawford single, knocked in the seventh run on a double in the fifth and then scored the eighth run on the second Crawford single.  Upton’s sac fly won the game but it was Longoria’s performance that kept the team alive throughout.