Evan Longoria

The Red Sox are finished their September collapse complete with a 4-3 loss against the Orioles. Dan Shaughnessy writes that a dream season ended in tatters. Nick Cafardo writes that Theo Epstein has a lot to consider in the coming days. Evan Longoria completed a dramatic comeback as the Rays advanced by beating the Yankees. Amalie Benjamin has the story from Florida. Red Sox fans are despondent. Travis Andersen has that story. The notebook has Tim Wakefield wanting to return next season.

Nelson Cruz hit his third career grand slam, Josh Hamilton drove in three runs and the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 13-6 on Sunday night to hand Jered Weaver his first loss. The slam by Cruz, his first homer since April 17, capped a five-run third for the Rangers. Hamilton, who had nine homers his previous six games, chased Weaver an inning later with a two-run double that made it 8-2. Weaver (5-1), in his second start since throwing a no-hitter, gave up 10 hits and eight runs in 3 ⅓ innings.

Morgan Freeman will be honored at an event on Martha's Vineyard this weekend. The actor will be feted for his philanthropic work, especially on behalf of PLAN!T NOW, an organization he cofounded after Hurricane Ivan hit Grenada in 2004… . Crooner Harry Connick Jr. dined on grilled tuna at Legal C Bar at Logan the other night… . Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and a few friends chowed a dozen oysters at the bar at Union Oyster House before heading upstairs for dinner… . Tom Brady 's bride, Gisele Bundchen , was spotted strolling through the lobby at the Four Seasons Hotel...

David Price struck out 12 over eight strong innings and Jose Molina hit his first homer of the season to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to their sixth straight win, 7-2 over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. The Rays, who are a major league-best 19-8, improved to 13-1 at home and won for the 12th time in 13 games overall. Price (5-1) threw just 106 pitches while allowing an earned run, three hits and a walk. He is the second AL pitcher to win five games this season, joining teammate James Shields, who got his fifth victory Wednesday.

The New York Times's Tyler Kepner doesn't hold back much in questioning Manny Ramirez's return to the majors, but it's a quote from former Red Sox manager Terry Francona that is the most explosive portion of the piece. Ramirez, who will be 40 by the time he can play again, is a ghostly reminder of a tainted era with a long history of roguish behavior. Terry Francona, his nice-guy manager in Boston, once said this to Peter Gammons , "Manny Ramirez is the worst human being I've ever met. " That might say it all. It is indeed a loaded statement, one somewhat balanced by more genial...

Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer and came within a triple of the cycle, Desmond Jennings added a solo shot and the Tampa Bay Rays ended a 10-game road trip by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 Thursday night. Longoria went 3 for 4 with a season-high four RBIs and reached base four times as the Rays tagged Blue Jays right-hander Henderson Alvarez for a career-high six earned runs. Longoria singled home a run in the first, homered in the fifth, drew an intentional walk in the seventh and hit an RBI double in the ninth.

Josh Willingham extended his season-opening hitting streak to 14 games with a go-ahead three-run double and the Minnesota Twins beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Friday night. Willingham's hit in the seventh off Joel Peralta puts him one away from tying Kirby Puckett's team mark of hitting safely in 15 straight games to start the 1994 season. The Twins also got two RBIs from Joe Mauer, who went 2 for 3 with two walks. Mauer is 31 for 70 overall at Tropicana Field. Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce homered for the Rays.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff BALTIMORE — If there's a play-in game tomorrow, who pitches for the Red Sox? How about Bruce Chen? Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting today that the Red Sox are investigating trade possibilities at this late hour to find a pitcher for a possible Game 163. The particulars: ߦ Any traded player must have cleared waivers already. ߦ The player would not be eligible for the postseason roster, having been obtained after Aug. 31. ߦ The Sox would have to find space on the 40-man roster.

■The Phillies' Cliff Lee fanned Angel Pagan for his 186th strikeout, setting a career best. ■Pittsburgh catcher Mike McKenry moved to third base in the ninth inning, the first time in his career he's been on the field but not behind the plate. ■ Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals has reached base safely in 28 straight games, batting .407 during that span. ■The Mariners' Mike Carp went 0 for 4, snapping his 20-game hitting streak. ■ Evan Longoria of the Rays has 60 RBIs in his last 62 games.

Here are the lineups for Game 2: RED SOX (74-46) Jacoby Ellsbury, CF Jed Lowrie, 3B Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Dustin Pedroia, 2B Josh Reddick, RF Carl Crawford, DH Mike Aviles, SS Jason Varitek, C Darnell McDonald, LF Pitching: LHP Erik Bedard (4-7, 3.55) RAYS (64-56) Desmond Jennings, LF Johnny Damon, DH Evan Longoria, 3B Ben Zobrist, 2B B.J. Upton, CF Casey Kotchman, 1B Sean Rodriguez, SS Matt Joyce, RF Robinson Chirinos, C Pitching: Jeff Niemann (7-4, 3.43)

Sean Rodriguez and Luke Scott homered for Tampa Bay, helping Rays right-hander James Shields become the AL's first five-game winner with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night. Shields (5-0) allowed four runs and five hits over six innings, walked four and struck out 11 to win his sixth straight decision over two seasons, matching the longest winning streak of his career. Kyle Seager homered twice off the 2011 All-Star, driving in all of Seattle's runs. Rodriguez hit a two-run homer off Blake Beavan (1-4)

Matt Joyce had two of Tampa Bay's three hits, including a solo homer and RBI triple, to help the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 for their ninth victory in 10 games on Tuesday night. Rookie Matt Moore (1-1) scattered seven hits over five innings to get the win, which kept the first-place Rays atop the AL East standings. Michael Saunders had a solo homer and Jesus Montero went 4-for-4 for Seattle, however the Mariners went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position to lose for the fourth straight time following a season-best four-game...

Evan Longoria took a right turn out of the Tampa Bay clubhouse and walked a few feet before stepping in front of a group of reporters huddled around a lineup board that will not list his name for the next four to eight weeks. The three-time All-Star was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a partially torn left hamstring Tuesday. Replacing his bat and glove won't be easy. Yet the Rays are confident they'll be OK without their best player, who's hitting .329 with four homers and 19 RBIs.

Derek Jeter scored on a passed ball with one out in the ninth inning and the Yankees rallied to hand the Tigers their fifth straight loss, 7-6, Friday night in New York. Alex Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs, Russell Martin hit a two-run homer, and the Yankees bullpen held steady when Ivan Nova turned in the latest shaky performance by a New York starter. Jeter drew a one-out walk from Brayan Villarreal and went to third when Villarreal threw a wild pitch on ball four to Curtis Granderson.

Matt Harrison's struggles were too much for the Texas Rangers to overcome. Evan Longoria hit a three-homer to key a four-run first inning as the Tampa Bay Rays roughed up Harrison from the start to extend their win streak to six games with an 8-4 victory over the Rangers on Friday night. Harrison (3-1) allowed seven runs and a career-high 14 hits in five innings. The left-hander had allowed a combined four runs in winning his first three starts of the season. "I thought it was balls (Harrison)

Alberto Gonzalez squared to bunt, hoping to drive in the go-ahead run on a squeeze play. The ball hit his bat and glanced off his right leg before bouncing off the ground toward the pitcher. Then the Texas Rangers caught a break. Instead of being called a foul ball, Gonzalez's bunt went for an RBI single in the 11th inning, lifting the Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Tigers in Detroit. Gonzalez acknowledged after the game the ball hit him around the knee - and a replay confirmed it - but the play stood.

Desmond Jennings had one of the Rays' team record four sacrifice flys and drove in three runs as Tampa Bay beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Sunday. Jennings had a sacrifice fly during a two-run third and made it 5-0 in the fifth with a two-run homer off Francisco Liriano (0-3). Liriano went five innings, allowing five runs, three hits and four walks. The left-hander has given up 22 runs, 25 hits and 13 walks over 16 1-3 innings this season. Josh Willingham went 0 for 2, which ended his season-opening 15-game hitting streak that had tied Kirby Puckett's Twins' record set in 1994.