Chicago @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 22, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 10, Chi. White Sox 2
The Tampa Bay Rays have suddenly hit a rough stretch. The cure to their woes may have just rolled into town, though.
The Rays look to avoid a season-high fourth straight loss today when they open a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox, whom they embarrassed in the teams’ last series.
Tampa Bay entered the week on fire, having won 10 of its last 12 games in building the best record in baseball. However, its stellar run came to a screeching halt courtesy of the American League East rival Boston Red Sox.
The Rays were outscored 19-4 during a three-game sweep.
Adrian Beltre punctuated the sweep by hitting a pair of homers and tying a career high with six RBIs in an 11-3 rout Wednesday.
Tampa Bay’s major league-best pitching staff had no answer for the Red Sox offense, and its hitters went just 2-for-25 with runners in scoring position.
The White Sox, however, could be the Rays’ elixir. Tampa Bay outscored Chicago 23-6 in taking two of three on the road from April 20-22.
That was one of the better series for the Rays, who have been pretty consistently offensively despite a lack of production from B.J. Upton.
The center fielder was given Wednesday off after hitting just .146 in his past 23 games. But Upton is hitting .353 in his last 11 home games vs. Chicago, and Tampa Bay hopes this matchup helps jump-start his season.
Upton and the Rays have their work cut out for them against White Sox scheduled starter Gavin Floyd (2-4, 6.31). Floyd is 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two career starts vs. the Rays. He allowed three runs and three hits in seven innings of a 4-3 win on July 20 last season.
The right-hander yielded one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 win over Florida on Saturday.
Floyd will be opposed by Jeff Niemann (4-0, 2.54), who seeks to win his fourth straight decision. Niemann allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings of a 4-2 win over Houston Saturday.
He is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA in three career starts vs. Chicago. In his last start against the White Sox, Niemann allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings of a 3-2 win on July 21, 2009.
The right-hander will face one of the weaker offenses in baseball. Chicago is hitting a paltry .238 (85-for-356) with runners in scoring position. It does enter with some momentum, however, after taking two of three from Cleveland.
Mark Kotsay hit a two-run home run and Paul Konerko drove in a run in Wednesday’s 5-4 win. It was the first road series win of the season for the White Sox, who have lost 12 of their last 19 games away from home.