For Boston, this is been-here, done-that business as usual. "Absolutely," catcher Jason Varitek said. "We'll continue to maintain our focus the way we always have."

In that case, get ready for what seemed impossible less than 72 hours ago: Boston in the World Series for the third time in the last five seasons.

With a series-evening 4-2 victory Saturday night, the Red Sox moved to 9-1 in elimination games since 2004. Their experience carries them through the hardest times.

Consider Varitek, the heart-and-soul captain of this team. Varitek suffered through a horrible season at the plate and had been even worse in the postseason. He was hitless in his previous 15 at-bats going into an at-bat in the sixth inning of Game 6.

Rays starter James Shields, pushed beyond 100 pitches, tried to get by with an 89-mph fastball. Varitek launched it for a homer that put the Red Sox ahead for the duration. In the Boston dugout, pandemonium erupted.

"He wears that 'C' on his jersey for a lot of different reasons," righthander Josh Beckett said. "But none more important than how much respect everybody in that clubhouse has for him."

Varitek also became the first catcher to throw out a Tampa Bay runner in the postseason. He caught his opposite, Dioner Navarro, on a botched hit-and-run play in the fifth. Jason Bartlett did not offer at the high curveball, but he hit a game-tying homer four pitches later.

Or consider designated hitter David Ortiz, the postseason constant. Ortiz was mired in a 1-for-17 slump going into an at-bat in the seventh inning of Thursday's fifth game. With the Red Sox trailing 7-0, Oritz clubbed a three-run homer. That started an historic comeback for the Red Sox and brought Ortiz's bat back to life.

Starting with the homer, Ortiz is 3-for-6 with four RBIs and seven total bases. In Game 6, he set up a 2-0 lead by hooking a James Shields changeup down the line for a double in the third and had a run-scoring single off lefthander J.P. Howell in the decisive two-run sixth.

Or consider the hard-edged Beckett. For the third consecutive postseason start, Beckett did not make it past the fifth. The difference this time was that Beckett found a way to compensate for what a strained-oblique injury has taken from him and win.

In his previous two starts, against the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS and the Rays in the second game of the ALCS, Beckett allowed 18 hits and 12 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. He gave up three leads against the Rays.

This time, Beckett held the Rays to two runs, on homers, and only one at-bat with a runner in scoring position. He did it with more breaking and off-speed pitches than usual and a large supply of grit.

"You can't say enough about (Beckett's) competitive spirit," Boston pitching coach John Farrell said. "He got it handed to him the last two starts, but that's part of his experience in the postseason. He doesn't make too much of the situation."

Beckett did make better pitches than in his previous two starts. In Game 2, the Rays missed on only four of their 40 swings against Beckett. In the rematch, they missed on five of 34 swings. He threw nearly as many curveballs (28) as fastballs.

"Josh really had to be deliberate and stay within himself," Varitek said. "He has had to make some adjustments. He's not pitching with a 97 (mph) fastball. But he knows how to pitch."

Francona was careful not to overextend Beckett. The Red Sox bullpen prepared as Beckett started each of his final two innings. Five innings was more than enough for the Red Sox.

Beckett's performance inspirited rotation-mate Jon Lester, who is scheduled to start tonight. A year ago, Lester started and won the World Series clincher against Colorado. Like most of the Red Sox, this is familiar ground for Lester. The same cannot be said of the upstart Rays.