Phillies KO Brewers; Angels, White Sox Extend Series

Players of the Day from Sunday, October 5, 2008 LA Angels 5 Boston 4 Mike Napoli became the unlikely hero as the LA Angels staved off elimination with a 5-4, 12-inning win over the Boston Red Sox. Napoli, who also caught the entire game, handling six different pitchers, homered twice off Boston starter Josh Beckett, rapping a 2-run shot in the third and a solo blast in the 5th, sending the Red Sox hurler to an early shower. Napoli's second homer gave the Angels a 4-3 lead, but Boston tied it in the bottom of the frame and the score remained the same until the 12th inning. Napoli led off with a single, moved to second on a sac bunt and scored on Erick Abyar's single up the middle. Notes: The Angels now trail Boston 2-1 in the best-of-five series, which resumes Monday at 8:35 ET at Fenway. The same pairing that started game 1 will go, with Jon Lester heading to the hill for Boston to face the Angels' John Lackey. LA's win snapped a string of 11 straight playoff losses to the Red Sox, dating back to 1986. Chicago White Sox 5 Rays 3 Manager Jose Guillen juggled his lineup and it worked out just fine for Ken Griffey Jr., who singled twice, walked and scored the eventual game-winner as the White Sox stayed alive with a 5-3 win over the Rays. The Sox are still trailing the Rays, 2-1 in the series, which continues Monday in Chicago. Game 4 begins at 5:05 pm ET, with Chicago's Gavin Floyd facing the Rays' Andy Sonnanstine. Philadelphia 6 Milwaukee 2 The Phillies were just too much for the Brewers, taking their playoff series by a 3-1 margin. Jimmy Rollins homered to open the game, but it was Pat Burrell's three-run homer in the third and solo shot in the 8th that really put the Phillies over the top. The Phillies scored all of their runs via the long ball, as they knocked off the Brewers, 6-2. Notes: Philly now has home field advantage in the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers, starting Thursday, October 9.