Baseball: Hapless Red Sox fall flat within sight of the line

(REUTERS )

An astonishing late-season collapse ended on Wednesday evening with the Boston Red Sox failing to qualify for the post-season.

Terry Francona's Red Sox had been nine games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays on 3 September in the race for the American League wild-card position. On the final day they had to match the Rays' result, but lost 4-3 to the Baltimore Orioles despite leading 3-2 with one out left in the game.

Meanwhile the Rays came back from 7-0 down against the New York Yankees, tying 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth before winning 8-7 in the 12th to pip the Red Sox after their astonishing choke.