Tampa Bay @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2012 ) Tampa Bay 1, Chi. White Sox 3
The Chicago White Sox will send their ace to the mound on Saturday with a chance to pull into a tie for first place in the American League Central. The White Sox can certainly trust Chris Sale, who handcuffed the Tampa Bay Rays already this season by striking out a career-high 15 in a 2-1 win on May 28. The Cy Young Award candidate will look for another strong showing after Chicago snapped a three-game skid with its second triumph in 10 outings.
Alex Rios collected three hits - including his career-high 25th homer and 89th RBI to snap a tie in the fourth inning - as the White Sox posted a 3-1 victory in the series opener on Friday. Tampa Bay saw its season-high eight-game winning streak come to an end and fell three games behind Oakland in the race for the second wild card. Both clubs have five contests remaining on their schedule.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (10-11, 3.92 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (17-7, 2.86)
Moore has struggled mightily in his previous six starts, posting an 0-4 mark while lasting a combined 9 2/3 innings in his last three outings. The 23-year-old suffered a hard-luck loss in his lone outing versus the White Sox, striking out 10 in seven innings on May 28.
The primary reason the Rays lost that contest was Sale, who was simply masterful in 7 1/3 innings to pick up the victory. The 23-year-old has yielded three runs in his last two starts, but has failed to pick up the win. Sale, who admitted to being "kind of a Tampa Bay Rays fan," grew up in nearby Lakeland, Fla.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago will send LHP Jose Quintana to the mound to pitch Sunday's series finale.
2. Tampa Bay C Jose Molina missed his third straight game due to a right quad strain.
3. Sam Fuld, who had been nursing a mild right hamstring strain, drew his first start in LF since Sept. 16.