-The Rays bounced back with a 4-2 win in Game 2 over the Phillies evening the World Series at a game apiece with the next three back in Philly this weekend. Tampa Bay scored twice in the first and tacked on a couple of more runs in the second and fourth off losing Phillie starter Brett Myers while ace James Shields held their opponent without a run in five and two thirds scattering seven hits while walking two and striking out four.

A pair of RBI ground outs from Carlos Pena and rookie third baseman Evan Longoria helped Tampa Bay get off to a quick start. B.J. Upton’s two out bases loaded RBI single to the opposite field plated a third run before Jayson Werth’s throw nailed Rocco Baldelli at the plate with the right fielder crashing into Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz, who held on for the final out.

With Cliff Floyd on third, a well executed safety squeeze from shortstop Jason Bartlett scored the fourth run two innings later.

After Dan Wheeler came onto toss one scoreless frame K-ing a pair, ALCS Game Seven rookie hero David Price made things interesting by giving up a two out eighth inning pinch hit Eric Bruntlett solo blast to left breaking the shutout.

With Joe Maddon staying with the former 2007 first overall pick out of Vanderbilt, it got even tighter when Ruiz ledoff with a double and Jimmy Rollins appeared to be hit by a pitch. If the ball did touch part of the 2007 NL MVP’s jersey, plate umpire Kerwin Danley wasn’t saying and neither did the shortstop make much of it.

Instead, Price cameback to pop him up for a big first out before Werth’s scorcher off Longoria which somehow was ruled an E5 scored Ruiz for the Phils’ second run sending the tying run to the plate in Game 1 hero Chase Utley with Ryan Howard on deck. But Price dug deep getting Utley to chase and then inducing the struggling Howard into a grounder right into the shift for an easy 4-3 putout ending the game.

-A good win for the Rays who like they did in the ALCS against Boston bounced back from a Game One home defeat to even a series making it anyone’s with five potential games left. They”ll be in the identical spot they were when they visited Fenway sending ALCS MVP Matt Garza to the mound against crafty 45 year-old southpaw Jamie Moyer Saturday night. Figure the edge to go to the Rays if Garza continues to dominate. We’ll see if Howard can get untracked.

The other two match-ups at Citizen’s Bank Park pits Andy Sonnanstine against Joe Blanton and a Game 1 lefty rematch between 24 year-olds Scott Kazmir and Cole Hamels. This series shaped up to be a good one and thus far, has delivered even if ratings on Fox are probably down due to who’s in it. It’s good baseball though with solid pitching on both sides, low scores and key hits. Whoever wins the whole thing will have really earned it.

-Who cares if Brett Favre really put in a call to buddy Matt Millen before he was axed by Detroit about a game versus his ex-team. What does it matter? We’re talking about the Lions here, who need all the help they can get and that still wouldn’t be enough. What’s sad is that Favre lied when asked about whether he spoke to Millen. Why hide it? It’s not that bad to begin with but makes him look a lot worse.

Meanwhile, Favre’s sketchy play on the gridiron for an underachieving 3-3 Jets team in a weaker AFC is what should come under fire by the New York media here. He just hasn’t been the difference Gang Green expected him to be with part of the blame on conservative coach Eric Mangini along with Brian Schottenheimer, who’d rather run the ball with Thomas Jones than let one of the greatest QBs the game’s ever seen win a game at Oakland in which he was responsible for even getting it there in the first place.

You don’t treat Favre with kid gloves. That was easily one of the most poorly coached OTs I’ve ever seen with the Jets getting what they deserved. An ugly loss putting them two behind an overachieving bunch in Buffalo who find ways to win and don’t use excuses like the ones Bob Wischusen invents behind a Jets microphone over on ESPN Radio.

Bottom Line: The good teams overcome adversity to pull out games while the mediocre ones don’t which is what the Jets are right now. Mediocre.

-I’m no expert but what does changing her name to Sasha Fierce have to do with Beyonce anyway? She’s fierce anyway. We know that. Just look at her!