BOSTON — The World Series champion Red Sox are back in the playoffs, thanks to a 5-4 victory over the Indians on Tuesday night that clinched at least a wild-card berth.
Tim Wakefield (10-11) outpitched Cliff Lee (22-3), and midseason acquisition Jason Bay hit the go-ahead single as Boston scored three times in the fifth to rally from a two-run deficit.
“I feel like a kid, jumping around spraying champagne with all these guys,” Bay said. “It’s been a different journey for me.”
Cleveland loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth before Jonathan Papelbon came on and, with his first pitch, got Jamey Carroll to ground out. Papelbon earned his 41st save by retiring the Indians in order in the ninth to finish it off, just as he did in Game 4 of the World Series against Colorado last fall.
