ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays try to avoid becoming the 12th team in major league history to post three consecutive 100-loss seasons as they host the Boston Red Sox in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday.
Tampa Bay was 62-100 in 2001 and 56-106 last season. The Devil Rays have not won more than 69 games and are trying to avoid becoming the first team to reach 100 defeats for three years in a row since the Toronto Blue Jays from 1977-79.
The Devil Rays began September by winning five of their first seven games. But they have dropped 15 of their last 19 contests.
On Saturday, Tampa Bay snapped a season-high six-game home losing streak with a 5-4 victory. Aubrey Huff drove in his 106th run, which tied Fred McGriff's 2000 team record. Travis Lee hit a go-ahead homer in the third and Chad Gaudin pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for his second career victory.
The Red Sox got a two-run homer from Todd Walker and solo shots from Doug Mirabelli and Nomar Garciappara. They also had a potential homer taken away as second base umpire ruled fan interference on David McCarty's fly ball to left field in the ninth.
Bill Mueller went 1-for-3 and enters Sunday leading the American League with a .327 batting average. Manny Ramirez, who won the batting title last season is third with a .325 mark.
Victor Zambrano (11-10, 4.34), who has struggled with his control at times this season, start for the Devil Rays. In 180 1/3 innings, he has issued 104 walks and uncorked 15 wild pitches.
Despite the control problems, Zambrano leads the Devil Rays in victories. He has split his last four decisions after losing three in a row from August 9-26.
One of those victories was at Boston on September 17, when he allowed three hits in seven eventful innings. He walked five, hit two batters as the Red Sox stranded 10 runners.
The righthander is 4-2 with a 6.57 ERA in 14 career appearances vs. the Red Sox.
Tim Wakefield (11-7, 4.13), who will start Game Three of the Division Series against Oakland, takes the mound for the Red Sox.
Wakefield is 8-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 19 career appearances vs. the Devil Rays, including a 7-0 mark over the last three seasons.
The knuckleballer last pitched in Tuesday's 6-5 victory over Baltimore. He did not get a decision after allowing three runs and seven hits in seven innings.
