Six games. Eight runs. According to the lineup simulator at Baseball Musings, that’s fewer runs than a team could expect if every hitter in the lineup had a .100 on-base percentage and .100 slugging percentage. The Tampa Bay Rays, who entered Thursday’s game batting .136 as a team, only wish they were that lucky. The Rays were unable to touch Edwin Jackson on Thursday, falling to the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, 5-1.
Rays Vs. White Sox: Tampa Bay Still Winless After Falling In Chicago.
Jackson made quick work of the Rays, racking up a career-high 13 strikeouts, a record for a White Sox home opener. Unlike his no-hitter last season, Jackson complemented the strikeouts with impeccable control, walking only one batter in eight innings.
Rays starter David Price was touched up early. Juan Pierre and Gordon Beckham reached base to start the game, and Gordon Beckham doubled them home before an out was recorded. Paul Konerko contributed an RBI single in the 3rd inning, which was more than Jackson would need for his second win of the season. Though Price stayed in the game long enough to record a quality start, he dropped to 0-2.
The lone run for the Rays scored when Reid Brignac singled home Felipe Lopez in the eighth inning. Thursday’s game was the fifth time in six games that the Rays were able to score just a single run.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow, with Tampa Bay (0-6) turning to James Shields in a search for their first win, and the White Sox (4-2) going with John Danks.
For more on the Rays and White Sox, please check out team blogs DRaysBay and South Side Sox.
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