(Sports Network) - Chicago White Sox general manager Ken Williams is confident new acquisition Manny Ramirez will be able to fit in with his new surroundings and help the club in its pursuit of a postseason berth.
Manny Ramirez Makes Debut With White Sox
Ramirez is expected to be in action tonight in the place where his major league career started, as the White Sox will tangle with the host Cleveland Indians in the second test of a three-game set from Progressive Field.
The White Sox landed Ramirez in a waiver claim from the Dodgers on Monday.
“We not only want to get into the playoffs, but once we get in, we would like to have a chance to do something special,” Williams noted on the team’s site. “You need a hitter who can hit good pitching and hit in the clutch, and it’s just a matter of [Ramirez] getting his timing back and he will be effective.”
The slugging outfielder is expected to be Chicago’s new designated hitter and battled through several injuries this season in Los Angeles. Ramirez made a few stints on the disabled list and batted .311 with eight homers and 40 RBI in 66 games this season. Playing in left field clearly wasn’t the right spot for Ramirez, who gets a new chance to show he can still hit.
Chicago proved it can swing the bat on Monday, as it pounded out 21 hits in a series-opening 10-6 victory over Cleveland in 11 innings. Alex Rios led the way with five hits, including a home run, four RBI and three runs scored. Paul Konerko drove in three runs and Brent Lillibridge belted a solo homer to highlight a four-run 11th inning for the Pale Hose, who are four games behind Minnesota for the AL Central lead.
"We came out and we battled through it and got a win we really needed," said Lillibridge, who homered for the first time since June and took over at second base when Gordon Beckham went down after getting hit in the hand by a pitch. It's uncertain if Beckham will be in the lineup Tuesday.
Scott Linebrink picked up the win last night with two scoreless innings of relief, while starter Mark Buehrle was reached for three runs in six innings.
Edwin Jackson will make his fifth start for the White Sox since coming over in a deal from Arizona in late July tonight. Jackson is 2-0 with a 0.96 earned run average in four starts with his new team and threw eight shutout innings of three-hit ball in an 8-0 rout of Baltimore last Thursday. He also struck out 10 batters.
Jackson, who had 11 K's in his previous start versus Detroit, has pitched well in his career against the Indians. The right-hander is 5-1 in 10 lifetime matchups (9 starts) with the Tribe.
Cleveland has dropped two in a row since a three-game winning streak and got a two-run homer from Jayson Nix last night. Travis Hafner went 4-for-5 with three doubles, an RBI and two runs scored for the Indians, who also got three hits and an RBI from Shelley Duncan.
“The whole second half he’s been swinging the bat really well,” Indians manager Manny Acta said of Hafner. “He’s driving the ball with more authority and he’s fresher now after resting that shoulder. He’s going good right now and giving us that bat in the middle of the lineup.”
Rafael Perez was saddled with the loss for giving up the four runs in the 11th inning, while starter Mitch Talbot did no better by surrendering five runs on 10 hits and three walks in five innings of work.
Justin Masterson will try to get Acta's ballclub back on track when takes the mound Tuesday. Masterson was 0-2 in a three-start span before beating Oakland last Thursday with six innings of two-run ball. He has lasted six innings in each of his previous three starts, but is 5-12 with a 5.23 ERA in 26 starts this season.
Masterson, a right-hander, is 1-1 in three starts against the White Sox this season and 1-2 lifetime with a 2.78 earned run average in eight meetings (5 starts) with Chicago.
Cleveland is 8-5 against the AL Central-rival White Sox this season.
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