Rays force Game five

The Tampa Bay Rays avoided elimination for a second time on the road by beating the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Sunday to level their American League Division Series and send it back home for a decisive Game 5.

The Rays, who lost the first two games of the series at Tropicana Park, enjoyed a productive one-two punch in clean-up hitter Evan Longoria and No 5 batter Carlos Pena to back a solid ensemble pitching performance.

Longoria belted a two-run homer and also doubled ahead of a fourth-inning double by Pena, who added a triple and scored two runs. Starter Wade Davis gave up two runs in five innings, and four relievers shut out Texas the rest of the way on one hit.