Crisp went to higher power for strength

During a seemingly interminable at-bat in the eighth inning of last night's potential elimination game - with the tying run, Mark Kotsay, staring at him from second base - Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp stepped out of the batter's box after each pitch and prayed for a little help from above.

Maybe it was hard for his words to be heard above the suddenly raucous Fenway Park crowd, but on the 10th pitch his prayers were finally answered.

Rays reliever Dan Wheeler threw Crisp nothing but fastballs during the two-out battle, and the switch-hitting Crisp, batting from the left side, fouled off four heaters with a full count before ripping a single to right to score Kotsay with the run that capped a seven-run comeback.

J.D. Drew - who earlier in the eighth hit a two-run home run to make it a one-run game - singled home the winning run in the ninth as the Red Sox emerged with a thrilling 8-7 triumph in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

"It was a battle," said Crisp. "[Wheeler] was throwing some tough pitches up there and I was fouling them off. Each time I stepped out praying. I said a prayer each time, 'Come on, this one time, let me come through for the team.' Every now and then he puts you to the test and doesn't let you succeed.

"He had my back this time."

Kotsay had ripped a two-out double to deep center to set up Crisp's heroics. Wheeler never wavered from his fastball and Crisp seemed a bit late in fouling off pitches early in the at-bat, but he waited until Wheeler left one over the plate.

"His fastball moves so much, he has a lot of confidence in it and for good reason," said Crisp. "I was able to foul off some tough pitches. It's hard to know if one's going to come down to be a strike. He left one over the plate that I could hit."

Kotsay raced around third expecting a potential collision at the plate because the ball was hit so sharply and it appeared right fielder Gabe Gross might have a play at the plate. Instead, the throw was bounced toward the infield and the Rays settled for cutting down Crisp at second - but not before Kotsay scored.

"To win that at-bat, it truly, truly shows that [Crisp] battled," said Kotsay. "Obviously, there's gotta be a winner and a loser. Fortunately for us, that line drive falls short of Gross and I come in to tie the game and we carry that momentum into the ninth."

Crisp batted only .182 in 13 playoff games in 2007, starting the first eight games of the postseason before sharing time with first-year sensation Jacoby Ellsbury.

But this year it's Ellsbury who is struggling (0 for 14 in the ALCS, .188 this postseason) and Crisp who is thriving, entering last night hitting .333 (4 for 12) in the playoffs with two doubles, three walks, and two runs. Crisp drew the start last night and was inserted into the leadoff spot to give the team a spark.

Crisp didn't disappoint. He went 2 for 4 and both hits were crucial. In the seventh, Crisp lined a two-out single to left-center, eventually coming around on David Ortiz's momentum-changing, three-run homer. His hit in the eighth was even bigger.

Crisp also faced Wheeler in the ninth inning of Game 2 at Tropicana Field. Despite falling behind, 0 and 2, Crisp ripped a two-out, ground-rule double to deep center. The Sox couldn't push him across, though, and fell, 9-8, in 11 innings.

This time, Crisp was at the plate looking to bring home the runner from second.

"[Crisp] fouled off strikes, he fouled off balls, but he battled, battled, battled," said Kevin Cash. "It's funny, you see those type of at-bats and you see the guy come up with the bit hit because they see so many pitches. That at-bat was key."

After offering all those prayers at the plate, the moment ultimately left Crisp speechless.

"I was about as happy as I've ever been on a baseball field to get that hit," said Crisp. "I was definitely choked up."

Chris Forsberg can be reached at cforsberg@boston.com