Boggs Within 8 Of 3,000 In Win

Hitless in his previous two games, Wade Boggs got a little help Wednesday night.

He had his 12-year-old son, Brett, pick out a lucky bat.

It must have worked, as Boggs went 3-for-4 to move within eight hits of 3,000 in Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over Anaheim. The Angels have lost 12 of 13.

"To get into the single digits being stuck at 11 was nerve-wracking," Boggs said.

Related Links

Game Summary

Baseball features:

MLB's Honor Roll

Who's Sizzlin' and Fizzlin'

"It can't get anymore exciting than it is right now," Boggs said. "It's overflowing. You have to maintain your concentration and not lose your focus of what you have to do."

Boggs was 0-for-6 in his last two starts, and only 4-for-30 in his previous 10 games.

"I'm enjoying the ride. It's etched in your memory. It's a blast," he said.

Boggs singled in the second, fifth and seventh innings for his 220th three-hit game.

Tampa Bay begins a six-game road trip to Oakland and Seattle on Friday night. Regardless, look for Boggs to go for No. 3,000 at home.

"There's a real good chance it will happen at home," Devil Rays manager Larry Rothschild said. "I make out the lineup card."

Ryan Rupe (5-5) allowed one run and six hits in eight innings, and Roberto Hernandez finished for his 28th save in 31 chances as Tampa Bay won for just the second time in eight games.

The Angels scored in just four of 27 innings during the series.

"We've been watching this for about three months, so it's not fun anymore," Anaheim first baseman Mo Vaughn said.

"I'm happy for Wade Boggs," he added. "I hope he gets it sooner than later. That will be a tremendous thing for that organization for him to be abl to do that."

Jack McDowell (0-2), making just his second start following right elbow and shoulder surgery, allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Rupe shut out Anaheim for 15 consecutive innings before the seventh, when Garret Anderson tripled and scored on Jeff Huson's sacrifice fly.

Boggs singled in the seventh and took second when Aaron Ledesma singled to snap an 0-for-16 slump.

Paul Sorrento, who had been hitless in 13 at-bats, singled to tie the game and chase McDowell, and David Lamb's single off Mark Petkovsek put Tampa Bay ahead.

Bubba Trammell hit his seventh homer, a solo shot off Al Levine, during a two-run eighth that included John Flaherty's RBI single.

Notes:

Rupe had struggled recently, giving up 21 runs 17 earned
and 29 hits in 19 1-3 innings during his last four starts.

Angels manager Terry Collins was ejected by umpire Jim Evans in the eighth inning during an argument following a close play at second base.

It took just 65 minutes to play the first five innings.

McDowell allowed one run and six hits in 5 2-3 innings last Friday against Baltimore.

Anaheim's Tim Salmon went 0-for-3 and is hitless in 21 at-bats. He is 5-of-43 since coming off the disabled list July 17.

Tampa Bay second baseman Miguel Cairo was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game with left hamstring tightness and will be re-evaluated Thursday.

The Devil Rays released former major league catcher Jesse Levis, who was playing at Triple-A Durham.

Tampa Bay 1B Fred McGriff is day-to-day with a mild strain of his left quadriceps.

Notes:

More from CBS News