updated 10:58 p.m. ET March 21, 2006

FORT MYERS, Fla. - David Ortiz and Wily Mo Pena made impressive spring training debuts for the Red Sox on Tuesday. So did David Wells, for three innings anyway.

All that was more important to Boston than the final score, a 9-7 loss to Tampa Bay, which hit three homers while the Red Sox had four.

Wells faced just one batter above the minimum through three innings, then allowed three runs and four hits in the fourth, his last inning. He made his first start in a major league exhibition game since having offseason knee surgery.

“It was great to get him out there in a live game,” manager Terry Francona said. “In the last inning, he got some balls up, which I don’t think is surprising. ... Just like everybody, he just needs repetition. That’s why they have spring training.”

Wells allowed a homer in the second to Ty Wigginton before Jon Lester gave up two homers in the fifth, a solo shot by Luis Ordaz and a three-run drive by Travis Lee that made the score 8-1.

“It was nice,” said Wells, who reported no trouble with his repaired right knee. “I was going out there not knowing what to expect.”

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Ortiz, in his first game since playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, homered in the fourth off Doug Waechter, who faced Boston for the third time in four exhibition outings and allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Boston’s other homers were two-run shots by Mark Loretta and Manny Ramirez in the fifth, and another two-run drive by Alex Cora in the seventh.

Pena, obtained Monday from Cincinnati for pitcher Bronson Arroyo, replaced Trot Nixon in right field in the sixth. Pena singled to left in the seventh and walked in the ninth. During batting practice, the right-handed slugger belted balls onto the practice field beyond the left-field fence.

“It’s fun to watch,” Francona said. “He doesn’t have to hit a ball that far to hit a home run.”

Tampa Bay’s most effective pitcher was Jesus Colome, who pitched only the sixth and struck out all three batters he faced.

“We might have learned something ourselves about him today,” Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Maddon also had some good news about right fielder Joey Gathright, who left in the fifth after diving for Ortiz’s double in the gap that preceded Ramirez’s second exhibition homer.

“He just landed awkwardly and just kind of bothered his shoulder a little bit,” Maddon said. “From what I was told, he could have continued had we wanted him to continue.”

Trailing 9-7, Boston had a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth after a two-out double by Tony Graffanino and a walk to Pena. But Willie Harris grounded out against Chad Harville.

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