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White Sox knocked out

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| Monday, October 6, 2008 7:28 PM CDT | () comments

Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Gabe Gross makes a leaping catch at the fence on a drive by Chicago White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski in the first inning of Game 4 of the American League division baseball series Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Associated Press

CHICAGO — B.J. Upton and these Tampa Bay Rays are headed home — to get ready for the American League championship series.

Worst in the majors last year, the Rays will play for a spot in the World Series after finishing off the Chicago White Sox 6-2 on Monday in Game 4 of the AL playoffs.

Ray-markable!

Upton homered twice, Andy Sonnanstine pitched 5 2/3 innings, and manager Joe Maddon’s surprising Rays won 3-1 in the best-of-5 series — their first trip to the postseason. Next up, the Boston Red Sox or the Los Angeles Angels starting Friday.

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

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.

Tampa Bay, which never won more than 70 games during its 10 previous seasons, went from 96 losses last year to 97 wins and passed the big-spending Red Sox and New York Yankees in the AL East.