Now a big Wheeler to his teammates

There was no understating the importance of the 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief Dan Wheeler gave the Rays in their 9-8 victory over the Red Sox in 11 innings Saturday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

How big was the outing?

"It was behemothian," said Tampa pitching coach Jim Hickey. "It couldn't get any bigger."

"It was awesome," said reliever Grant Balfour, among a select group of Rays to meet with the media yesterday at Fenway Park.

"We weren't sure he was going to keep coming out for all those innings. I was wondering who was warming up, and he kept going back out there again."

Wheeler, a 30-year-old native of Warwick, R.I., was just keeping his word to his teammates.

When starter Scott Kazmir scuffled in the fifth, relievers Chad Bradford and Trever Miller turned to Wheeler and told him to be prepared to go at least three innings.

They were only joking. But Wheeler wasn't when he replied that he would do it.

"Dan Wheeler didn't pitch for eight days and he basically saved our behinds," Hickey said. "It's a great luxury to have, and it's one of the reasons that we're here."

Wheeler, who threw 48 pitches (27 strikes), entered in the eighth in relief of Miller with Dustin Pedroia (single to right) at second and David Ortiz (walk) at first. He proceeded to get Kevin Youkilis to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Wheeler threw a wild pitch to Jason Bay that scored Pedroia from third with the tying run and then walked Bay, but he got Jed Lowrie to line to center to end the inning.

"Those innings, they were crucial," Balfour said. "If he gives up a run there, we might not be able to come back from that deficit, so it was huge for him to hold them right there."

Wheeler allowed only Coco Crisp to reach on a double in the ninth before handing it over to rookie David Price with one on and one out in the 11th.

After the game, Wheeler told reporters he would be prepared to pitch in Game 3 this afternoon, but Rays manager Joe Maddon said yesterday he preferred to be cautious.

"I want to check with him [today], first of all," said Maddon, who will send righthander Matt Garza to the mound to oppose Sox lefthander Jon Lester.

"That was a lot of innings with a lot of pitches and a lot of emotion. So if you knew Danny like we know Danny, he's going to say that right out of the chute, but we'll see how he feels today.

"I'd rather wait until the day when all the emotion wears off and then we'll ask him."

Speed thrills
Just as amazing as Wheeler's relief stint was the speed with which pinch runner Fernando Perez scored the winning run on B.J. Upton's sacrifice fly to shallow right field in the 11th, beating J.D. Drew's throw to the plate. "Even if Drew made a good throw, it was going to be a close play, and that's crazy to say, because he was about 15 steps behind [first] base," marveled the Rays' Evan Longoria. "That's just how crazy fast [Perez] is." . . . Maddon said he would likely tinker with his lineup today, in deference to the lefty Lester, and go with Rocco Baldelli, 27, of Woonsocket, R.I., in right field and switch-hitting Willy Aybar as his designated hitter.

Booster seats?
Carlos Peña, the former Haverhill High and Northeastern University standout, said he was eager to play his first postseason game at Fenway Park before family and friends. "It's going to be great to be able to come back home and to be able to share this special moment in my career," he said. Peña, who hit a towering three-run homer off Mike Timlin to help the visiting Rays take a 4-2 victory in 14 innings against the Sox Sept. 10, indicated his parents "were contemplating getting a theater somewhere and renting it out and not coming to Fenway. I told 'em, 'Hey, that's your decision, but I understand because this place can get a little bit rowdy.' I think they caught a little bit of a tough time the last time they were here, so I'm sure they're thinking about it. But I'm sure the desire to be here will prevail and they'll be here."

Michael Vega can be reached at vega@globe.com.