Rays Beat White Sox 6-2 to Advance to ALCS

They rushed toward the mound, these remarkable Rays, and immediately formed a circle. Jumping together like fraternity brothers, they resembled party regulars in the postseason.

Tampa Bay Rays' B.J. Upton rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Chicago White Sox...

Tampa Bay Rays' B.J. Upton rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Gavin Floyd in the third inning of Game 4 of the American League division baseball series, Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

(AP)

Worst in the majors last year, Tampa Bay will play for a spot in the World Series.

"It means everything. We've been at the bottom of the barrel for so long," B.J. Upton said Monday after homering twice in a 6-2 win over Chicago that clinched their AL playoff. "I think there was a point in time where people didn't even know who we were."

They do now, for sure.

Andy Sonnanstine pitched 5 2-3 solid innings and manager Joe Maddon's surprising Rays won 3-1 in the best-of-five series — their first trip to the postseason. Next up, they'll host wild-card Boston in Game 1 of the AL championship series Friday night.

Ray-markable!

"We feel like we belong and it's showing right now," Upton said.

They want more, too. So why stop now?

"Like Carlos (Pena) said, we're kind of a fraternity. And we stick together at all times no matter what happens," Upton said. "As long as we keep that attitude and continue playing as a team, and doing the little things to win, I don't think there's any reason why we can't win this whole thing."

After staving off elimination several times and winning a tiebreaker for the AL Central title, the White Sox were finally knocked out.

The loss dashed Chicago's hope for a championship — days ago, local fans were thinking the Cubs and White Sox might meet in a Windy City Classic. But the Cubs got swept by the Dodgers and now both teams are done.

"They played better than us. There's no doubt. They pitched better. They execute better. They got big hits," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "They really did a tremendous job."

Upton, the game's second batter, homered to left-center to put the Rays ahead. He went deep again in the third, driving a full-count pitch from Gavin Floyd to center, and the confident Rays had a two-run cushion.