Despite going 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position the Rays beat Boston 2-1 Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay benefitted from three Boston balks, scoring on one, and took the lead on Luke Scott's sac fly plating Matt Joyce in the sixth inning.

Boston had won five in a row entering the contest.

Jeremy Hellickson went six innings to get the win. He allowed five hits and struck out six. Jake McGee, Joel Peralta and Fernando Rodney - now 12-for-12 in save tries -- finished with an inning each of work.

There was a scary scene in the eighth inning. Rays infielder Will Rhymes was hit on the forearm by a Franklin Morales pitch. Though receiving a large welt Rhymes stayed in the game, but only for a few minutes. He signalled tot he bench that he wasn't feeling well, and then blacked out and collapsed in the arms of first-base coach George Hendricks.

Rhymes was out for a minute or so before coming to and getting carted off.

Tampa Bay has won four games in a row. Carlos Pena and Sean Rodriguez had two hits apiece for the Rays.

Clay Bucholz took the loss, getting charged for the two runs as he pitched into the sixth but couldn't get an out there. Joyce and Pena led off with singles and lefty Andrew Miller came on to relieve Bucholz.

Originally Scott's fly to right wasn't deep enough for Joyce to score, but right fielder Cody Ross stumbled as he was catching it. Joyce smartly observed the wobble and took off for what was the winning run.

New pickup Rich Thompson (see related story) got into the game as a pinch-runner.

Tampa Bay opened the scoring in the second. After Rodriguez hit into a double play the Rays were bailed out when Bucholz balked, scoring Pena. Boston tied it in the fourth on a Daniel Nava single.

Hellickson is 4-0 on the season.

The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired outfielder Rich Thompson from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for minor league outfielder Kyle Hudson.  Thompson will be added to the active roster for tonight’s game against the Boston Red Sox.  He will wear No. 24.

To make room on the active roster, outfielder Brandon Guyer was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 13, with left shoulder strain.  To accommodate Thompson’s addition to the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Jeff Niemann has been transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.

Thompson, 33, has spent 13 seasons in the minor leagues and has not appeared in the majors since 2004, when he played in six games for the Kansas City Royals.  This year, he batted .307 (27-for-88) with no home runs, 11 RBI and seven stolen bases in 29 games for Lehigh Valley (AAA), where he has spent the majority of the last five seasons (2008-12).  He has amassed 442 stolen bases in his minor league career, including seven seasons of 40 or more steals, and an International League-leading 48 in 2011.  The left-handed hitter has played all three outfield positions in the minors but has played primarily center field. 

Thompson made the Royals Opening Day roster in 2004 and was used primarily as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement.  He went 0-for-1 with one run scored and a stolen base.  He was designated for assignment on April 24 that season and has not played in the majors since.

Guyer, 25, becomes the ninth Rays player currently on the disabled list.  Since being recalled from Durham (AAA) on May 9, he appeared in three games, batting .143 (1-for-7) with one home run and one RBI.

Niemann, 29, was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday due to a fractured right fibula, an injury he sustained in Monday’s game in Toronto.  He is 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA (34.2-IP, 13-ER) in seven starts this season.

Here is today's Tampa Bay Rays lineup against the Boston Red Sox

Zobrist RF
Upton CF
Joyce LF
Pena 1B
Scott DH
S. Rodriguez 3B
Rhymes 2B
Molina C
Johnson SS

Jeremy Hellickson (3-0 2.95 ERA) faces off with Clay Buchholz (4-1 8.31 ERA)

By: John Mamola

The Rays comeback with a three run seventh inning to grab a 4-3 win over Henderson Alvarez and the Toronto Blue Jays.  With the win, the Rays win their third straight game and finish their eight game road trip with a record of 4-4.

David Price came into the matchup never being charged with a loss in five career starts at the Rogers Center (4-0 3.41 ERA), however Price got off to a rocky start this time across the border.

The Jays put up three runs on Price in the bottom of the third inning as Toronto took advantage of another defensive lapse by the Rays.  Rajai Davis led off the inning with an infield single, but reached second base on a throwing error by Elliot Johnson.  Davis then stole third base and was knocked in by Jose Bautista three batters later to make it 1-0 Blue Jays.

The very next pitch by Price saw Edwin Encarnacion belt his twelfth home run of the season, giving the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead.

The Rays then began their comeback in the fifth inning as Ben Zobrist drove in Will Rhymes with an RBI double cutting the Toronto lead to 3-1.  Zobrist has been hot during the Rays three game winning streak finishing 7 for 12 with two home runs and five RBI.

The Rays offensive continued to peck away at the Blue Jays lead in the seventh as Sean Rodriguez led off the inning with his third home run of the season making it 3-1 Toronto.  The following two batters would reach on a single and an error by the Blue Jays setting up Elliot Johnson’s RBI single to left tying the game at three.

Alvarez would then throw his first wild pitch of the season moving the runners up a base, and then gave up an infield single to Ben Zobrist bringing up BJ Upton.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Upton would ground into a double play scoring Jose Molina giving the Rays a 4-3 lead.

Fernando Rodney came in and sealed his American League leading eleventh save, and the Tampa Bay Rays sweep the two game set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

David Price improves to 6-2 on the season winning five of his last six starts.  Price pitched seven innings allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.

The Rays will return home for an eight game homestand beginning Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox.  The Rays will send Jeremy Hellickson to go against Clay Buchholz for the Red Sox.  Catch all the action on 620 am WDAE beginning at 6:30pm with the pre-game, and a 7:10pm first pitch.

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays can finish their road trip at .500 with a victory in Tuesday's finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.  David Price (5-2, 2.98 ERA) will get the start against rookie Henderson Alvarez (3-2, 2.61 ERA).

Rays Starting Lineup

Zobrist RF
Upton CF
Joyce LF
Pena 1B
Scott DH
Rodriguez 3B
Rhymes 2B
Molina C
Johnson SS

by Steve Carney

After suffering a cracked right fibula in the first inning of Monday night's game, the Tampa Bay Rays placed pitcher Jeff Niemann on 15-day disabled list.

The Rays recalled relief pitcher Josh Lueke from Triple-A Durham.  He will be in the bullpen tonight.

Niemann is expected to miss at least 4-6 weeks with his injury.

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays have reached out to the independent leagues to replenish their staff.

First baseman Ryan Garko, who had been playing for the Long Island Ducks (and coincidentally leading the league with a 1.219 OPS, according to Matthew Pouliot of NBC Sports), has signed a minor-league deal with the Rays, and will report to Double-A Montgomery.

The 31-year-old hasn't played in the majors since 2010, playing in 15 games with the Texas Rangers, and spent 2011 playing in South Korea.  His best two years in the bigs came in 2007, when he hit 21 homers, and 2008, when he drove in 90 runs.