Chi White Sox (9-6) at Tampa Bay (7-9)

TV: CSN Chicago | Radio: WSCR 670 7:10 pm ET Tropicana Field TV: FSN | Radio: WHNZ 1250, WGES 680
cws

Thome leads Sox to Tropicana Field

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
Designated hitter Jim Thome, who is nearing some career milestones, and the White Sox open a series against the Rays at Tropicana Field on Friday at 6:10 p.m. CT.
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White Sox probable pitcher

Javier Vazquez

  • RHP
  • (2-1) 3.32 ERA
White Sox: Make it two straight stellar starts for Vazquez, who allowed only one Detroit runner to reach second base during Sunday's 11-0 victory over the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field. Vazquez did not issue a walk, while striking out nine over seven innings. He gave up a Gary Sheffield double and four singles among his 92 pitches, of which 69 were thrown for strikes. Vazquez moves out of the American League Central, having faced Cleveland, Minnesota and Detroit to open the season, and he will begin the weekend set against the Rays. Vazquez has a 4-2 career record against Tampa Bay, with a 4.66 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 117-114 4.27 2081.1 548 1838 .258
Season 2-1 3.32 19.0 5 23 .236
April 2-1 3.32 19.0 5 23 .236

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/18/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 9 6 .600 - 4-3 5-3
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) 7 9 .438 2.5 3-5 4-4
Stats - 04/18/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CWS .244 83 22 82 3 92 3.65 133.1 124 52 98
TB .260 85 22 82 16 106 4.18 140.0 139 46 96
tb

Rays return home to face White Sox

Joe Kieser / Special to MLB.com
The Rays need their offense to remain productive in the coming days as they return home to St. Petersburg for three games against the first-place White Sox.
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Rays probable pitcher

Jeff Niemann

  • RHP
  • (1-0) 1.50 ERA
Rays: The 25-year old is coming off an impressive Major League debut on Sunday, in which he held Baltimore to just one run over six innings. The righty scattered six hits, and he allowed only one walk while striking out five. At 6-foot-9, Niemann is an intimidating pitcher, and when he is in command, his sinking fastball is extremely hard for opposing batters to dig out.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 1-0 1.50 6.0 1 5 .261
Season 1-0 1.50 6.0 1 5 .261
April 1-0 1.50 6.0 1 5 .261

White Sox hitters vs Jeff Niemann

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - .500 4 0 1
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Gartrell, Stefan - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul - - - - .500 2 1 2
Kotsay, Mark - - - - - - - -
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - .167 12 0 1
Nix, Jayson - - - - - - - -
Pierzynski, A.J. - - - - .000 2 0 0
Quentin, Carlos - - - - .000 2 0 0
Ramirez, Alexei - - - - - - - -
Rios, Alex - - - - - - - -
Teahen, Mark - - - - - - - -
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Rays hitters vs Javier Vazquez

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Aybar, Willy - - - - .143 7 0 0
Bartlett, Jason - - - - .267 30 0 0
Brignac, Reid - - - - - - - -
Burrell, Pat - - - - .188 16 1 1
Crawford, Carl - - - - .423 26 0 2
Gross, Gabe - - - - .000 4 0 0
Jaso, John - - - - - - - -
Jennings, Desmond - - - - - - - -
Johnson, Elliot - - - - - - - -
Joyce, Matt - - - - .167 6 0 0
Kapler, Gabe - - - - - - - -
Lobaton, Jose - - - - - - - -
Longoria, Evan - - - - .167 6 0 1
Navarro, Dioner - - - - .250 12 0 0
Pena, Carlos - - - - .118 17 1 2
Perez, Fernando - - - - - - - -
Riggans, Shawn - - - - .000 3 0 0
Rodriguez, Sean - - - - - - - -
Ruggiano, Justin - - - - - - - -
Upton, B.J. - - - - .500 12 0 1
Zobrist, Ben - - - - .333 3 0 0

Vazquez, homers carry Sox (10-6) (7-10)

White Sox 9, Rays 2

Thome powers Sox

Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com
The White Sox teed off in the series opener. Jim Thome hit career homer No. 511, and Paul Konerko followed with his own long ball to lead a relentless offense. Javier Vazquez went 6 1/3 innings for his third win.

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Series at a Glance

 
Javier Vazquez struck out four against one walk on Friday. (AP)

Rays drop opener

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
It was a rough night for the Rays as starter Jeff Niemann struggled through 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on five hits and four walks. Evan Longoria hit his second career double on the day of his contract extension.
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White Sox 9, Rays 2

Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Swisher, CF1210300.280
  Anderson, B, CF2000012.200
Cabrera, SS4111016.241
  Ramirez, SS1010000.176
Thome, DH3113204.182
Konerko, 1B4112013.182
Dye, RF3001102.339
Pierzynski, C5000004.327
Quentin, LF4210110.245
Ozuna, 3B4020001.250
Uribe, 2B5222012.170
Totals3691097524 

BATTING
2B: Uribe (3, Niemann), Quentin (1, Dohmann).
HR: Thome (4, 3rd inning off Niemann, 2 on, 1 out), Konerko (3, 3rd inning off Niemann, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Swisher; Cabrera; Ramirez; Thome 4; Konerko 4; Quentin 2; Ozuna 2; Uribe 3.
RBI: Thome 3 (13), Konerko 2 (13), Uribe 2 (6), Cabrera (5), Dye (6).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Dye; Pierzynski 2; Anderson, B.
S: Ozuna.
SF: Dye.
GIDP: Thome.
Team LOB: 10.

FIELDING
DP: 2 (Cabrera-Uribe-Konerko, Ramirez-Konerko).
 
Tampa BayABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Iwamura, 2B5010012.212
Crawford, LF3110001.253
  Johnson, E, CF1000001.188
Upton, CF3120011.317
  Ruggiano, RF1000000.300
Hinske, 1B4000014.310
Longoria, 3B3011101.304
Gomes, DH4011012.289
DiFelice, C2000101.300
Haynes, RF-LF3010102.258
Bartlett, SS4000026.203
Totals332723621 

BATTING
2B: Longoria (2, Vazquez, J), Gomes (3, Vazquez, J).
TB: Iwamura; Crawford; Upton 2; Longoria 2; Gomes 2; Haynes.
RBI: Longoria (4), Gomes (8).
2-out RBI: Gomes.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: DiFelice; Iwamura.
GIDP: Bartlett 2.
Team LOB: 8.

FIELDING
E: Bartlett (4, throw), Longoria (2, throw).
DP: (Birkins-DiFelice-Hinske).
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Vazquez, J (W, 3-1)6.16221403.20
Thornton 1.20001201.50
Masset 1.01001004.50
 
Tampa BayIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Niemann (L, 1-1)3.15854125.79
Birkins 2.22112102.25
Dohmann 3.03001302.61

HBP: DiFelice (by Vazquez, J), Konerko (by Niemann).
Pitches-strikes: Vazquez, J 104-68, Thornton 23-13, Masset 10-6, Niemann 85-47, Birkins 42-23, Dohmann 56-33.
Groundouts-flyouts: Vazquez, J 6-9, Thornton 1-2, Masset 3-0, Niemann 5-4, Birkins 4-3, Dohmann 3-3.
Batters faced: Vazquez, J 27, Thornton 6, Masset 4, Niemann 22, Birkins 11, Dohmann 13.
Inherited runners-scored: Thornton 1-0, Birkins 3-1.
Umpires: HP: Jerry Crawford. 1B: Tom Hallion. 2B: Brian O'Nora. 3B: Paul Nauert.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:02.
Att: 12,379.
April 18, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner