ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - All they needed was a reason to believe.

And the Tampa Bay Rays have that, thanks to a deeper bullpen and a flawed night from Josh Beckett.

The Rays beat Boston 9-8 in 11 innings and evened the American League Championship Series 1-1.

Saturday night could have been close to a knockout punch for the Boston Red Sox. Just think if they took a 2-0 lead, heading to Fenway Park, where Jon Lester waits to pitch Game 3 on Monday.

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox without a hit in the 11th inning, taking 9-8 victory Saturday night (actually Sunday morning).

Reliever Mike Timlin entered in the 11th and gave up two walks. With runners on second and third, with one out, B.J. Upton hit a fly ball to right field, scoring pinch-runner Fernando Perez, who beat J.D. Drew's throw.

More later.

Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell thinks Josh Beckett is going to be just fine tonight.

"I expect better fastball command. Better overall command. That was evident in his bullpebn the other day," Farrell said.

In Beckett's last start, " he was dealing with a number of factors in that game against the Angels - two-week layoff. Not only the physical side, but the mental side of an oblique strain ... he had to pitch out of a bunch of jams when he was not at his best.

"It was encouraging for him go out and throw 100-plus pitches. I think we will see the benefits of that outing (tonight)."