By John Barone
BOSTON -- For a decade, they were the punching bag of the American League. Every team -- the Red Sox included -- wanted a crack at the Rays, who wallowed in the cellar of the American League East from their inception in 1998 until, of course, last season.
But Tampa Bay's sudden transformation into a contender was spurred by much more than a simple name change. Last year, for the first time in franchise history, the Rays were beneficiaries of consistent quality starting pitching. Games that would have been a lost cause in past seasons were suddenly within reach, and no pitcher sparked the turnaround more than Matt Garza.
The 25-year-old hurler, who will take the hill in Sunday night's series finale at Fenway Park, has emerged as a personal nemesis of the Red Sox. Including last year's AL Championship Series, during which he limited the Sox to two runs in 13 innings over two starts, Garza is 7-1 lifetime against Boston with a 2.60 ERA.
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