After winning the first two games of the best-of-five series on the road, the Rangers lost the next two at home and returned to Tropicana Field for a Game 5 showdown.
Home field proved no advantage once again as Texas capitalized on Lee’s strong arm and some aggressive base running to set up a meeting with the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series, which opens on Friday in Arlington.
It was the third consecutive road win for the Rangers, who entered the postseason as the only AL playoff team with a losing road record during the regular season.
Both teams sent their aces to the hill for the elimination contest, the Rangers going with 2008 Cy Young winner Lee and the Rays countering with 19-game winner David Price.
Lee, who dominated the Rays in Game One, picked up where he left off, pitching a complete game six-hitter with 11 strikeouts and no walks to improve his post-season record to 6-0.
“We had our backs against the wall today and we came out and performed,” Lee told reporters. “It was competition at its finest, Game Five against an unbelievable team and we were able to pull it off.”
The series was the first to see every game won by the visiting team but it was the result not the method that mattered to the Rangers, who lost the AL Division Series to the Yankees in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
The Rangers will now have a chance to settle the score with the stakes even higher — a place in the World Series.
“I can’t wait to face the Yankees,” said Lee, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in July.
“They are a great team, it’s going to be a good challenge just like these guys. They are very similar teams, they went down to the wire to win the division so they are equally skilled.”
Some casual play by the Rays and aggressive base running from Elvis Andrus gave the Rangers a 1-0 first-inning lead, the speedy shortstop stealing second then taking off on Josh Hamilton’s ground out and never stopped until he slid across home plate.
The Rays pulled level in the bottom of the third when Ben Zobrist lined into center, scoring Sean Rodriguez.
But the Rangers hit back in the top of the fourth, Nelson Cruz doubling off the wall in center then scoring when catcher Kelly Shoppach threw the ball into left field as he was stealing third.
The Rangers continued to be aggressive on the base paths and were rewarded with another run in the sixth, 35-year-old Vladimir Guerrero lumbering home from second and sliding head first across the plate to beat the throw.
Ian Kinsler made sure there would be no Rays comeback, hammering a two-run homer in the ninth to give the Rangers a commanding 5-1 cushion.
“Cliff, once you give him a lead, he takes it to the finish line,” said Texas manager Ron Washington. “That’s the type of pitcher he is.
“We’re a very aggressive team and tonight we took advantage of some things.”
