Projo Sox Blog

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON _ During spring training eariler this season, Tampa Bay pitcher, and Warwick native, Dan Wheeler proclaimed the Rays were going to be a tough team to beat.

He was dead on.

The Rays won in dramatic fashion Tuesday night at Fenway Park by scoring two runs off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon in the top of the ninth inning and held on for a 5-4 victory.

Wheeler, a reliever, earned his fourth win of the season in the most uncommon way. The right-hander entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-2 lead. However, he surrendered a two-out, two-run homer to the Sox' Jason Bay as Boston grabbed a 4-3 lead.

It wasn't the first time Wheeler has faced Bay. When the two were both in the National League -- Wheeler with Houston and Bay with Pittsburgh -- Bay won that battle despite what the Rays scouting report said.

Tampa thought Bay was 0-for-11 off Wheeler, but the pitcher remembers otherwise.

"I've had good success against him," said Wheeler. "He's a great hitter. But I remember he hit a home run off me when I was in Houston. It was fastball down. I was trying to go away. It came back over the plate. You can't make a mistake to these guys. You have to be perfect."

After Papelbon blew his save opportunity -- his fifth of the season -- the Rays' Troy Percival collected his 28th save of the season as Tampa increased its lead over Boston to a game and a half in the A.L. East and Wheeler was the winning pitcher of record.

"It was a great game," he said. "There was so much excitement in the eighth and ninth innings. It was a great game for anyone who came here."

The Rays are hoping to leave Boston Wednesday night with another victory and a series win.

 Tags  Dan Wheeler Tampa Bay Rays

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