Chi White Sox (89-74) at Tampa Bay (97-65)

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cws

Sox expect tough test from Rays

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
Facing Tampa Bay in the American League Division Series not only gives Ozzie Guillen a sense of accomplishment, it also gives the White Sox manager a great sense of pride. For the rest of the White Sox, the Rays simply represent the next obstacle as they push for a 2008 World Series title.
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White Sox probable pitcher

Javier Vazquez

  • #33 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Manager Ozzie Guillen announced that Vazquez will make the Game 1 start for the White Sox, pitching on four days' rest after pitching Saturday on short rest. Vazquez, has a 1-2 record and 3.54 ERA against the Rays this season, along with a 5-9 record and 5.10 ERA on the road.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 127-129 4.32 2270.2 604 2015 .259
Season 12-16 4.67 208.1 61 200 .263
Vs. Tampa Bay 1-2 3.54 20.1 4 18 .208

Series at a Glance

Standings - 10/02/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 89 74 .546 - 54-28 35-46
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) 97 65 .599 - 57-24 40-41
Stats - 10/02/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CWS .263 811 235 785 67 1016 4.06 1457.2 1471 460 1147
TB .260 774 180 735 142 1224 3.82 1457.2 1349 526 1143
tb

Speedy Rays ready for powerful Sox

Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com
Joe Maddon has preached the same level of consistent effort all season long and the skipper kept the same mantra on the eve of the first venture into the postseason for the Rays, who boast speed more than power and who won the season series with the White Sox, 6-4.
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Rays probable pitcher

James Shields

  • #33 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Shields pitched one inning Sunday against the Tigers in a final tune-up before the playoffs and retired the side in order. The 26-year-old right-hander's best pitch has always been his changeup, but he also has a plus fastball and curve, and he's added a cutter that has helped him throw inside to left-handers. Shields enters the playoffs after pitching 215 innings for the second consecutive season, which is a testament to his style of pitching and his competitiveness. Unless something goes drastically wrong, Shields can be counted upon to give the team seven or more innings. Shields is 9-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts at Tropicana Field this season.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 32-24 3.96 554.2 114 448 .259
Season 14-8 3.56 215.0 40 160 .254
Vs. Chi White Sox 0-0 1.50 6.0 1 6 .318

White Sox hitters vs James Shields
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
Castro, Ramon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul .000 2 0 0 .400 5 0 0
Kotsay, Mark - - - - - - - -
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - - - - -
Nix, Jayson - - - - - - - -
Pierzynski, A.J. .333 3 0 0 .300 10 0 0
Podsednik, Scott - - - - .250 4 0 0
Quentin, Carlos .000 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Ramirez, Alexei 1.000 2 1 1 1.000 2 1 1
Rios, Alex .308 13 0 1 .227 22 0 1
Teahen, Mark .000 2 0 0 .182 11 0 1
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Rays hitters vs Javier Vazquez
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Aybar, Willy .000 3 0 0 .143 7 0 0
Bartlett, Jason .333 9 0 0 .267 30 0 0
Brignac, Reid - - - - - - - -
Burrell, Pat - - - - .188 16 1 1
Crawford, Carl .600 5 0 0 .423 26 0 2
Gross, Gabe .000 2 0 0 .000 4 0 0
Jaso, John - - - - - - - -
Johnson, Elliot - - - - - - - -
Joyce, Matt .167 6 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Kapler, Gabe - - - - - - - -
Lobaton, Jose - - - - - - - -
Longoria, Evan .167 6 0 1 .167 6 0 1
Navarro, Dioner .167 6 0 0 .250 12 0 0
Perez, Fernando - - - - - - - -
Riggans, Shawn - - - - .000 3 0 0
Rodriguez, Sean - - - - - - - -
Ruggiano, Justin - - - - - - - -
Upton, B.J. .375 8 0 1 .500 12 0 1
Zaun, Gregg .250 4 0 0 .235 17 1 2
Zobrist, Ben - - - - .333 3 0 0

Rays don't wait Long for playoff win (0-1) (1-0)

Rays 6, White Sox 4

Sox streak snapped

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
Dewayne Wise gave the White Sox an early advantage with a three-run homer in the third inning, but the lead ended up being short-lived. Javier Vazquez allowed two home runs of his own and did not make it out of the fifth as Chicago's streak of eight straight postseason wins ended.

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Series at a Glance

 

Longoria powers Rays

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Evan Longoria became the second player to homer in his first two postseason at-bats and added an RBI single for good measure to lead the Rays to victory in their playoff debut. James Shields regrouped after allowing a homer in the third inning to toss 6 1/3 solid frames for the win.
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Rays 6, White Sox 4

Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS4000015.000
Wise, LF3113010.333
  a-Anderson, B, PH-LF1000010.000
Dye, RF4010010.250
Thome, DH4000001.000
Konerko, 1B4121010.500
Griffey Jr., CF4000021.000
Ramirez, 2B3110110.333
Pierzynski, C3120000.667
Uribe, 3B2000014.000
Totals324741911 

a-Struck out for Wise in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Dye (1, Shields).
HR: Wise (1, 3rd inning off Shields, 2 on, 2 out), Konerko (1, 9th inning off Wheeler, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Wise 4; Dye 2; Konerko 5; Ramirez; Pierzynski 2.
RBI: Wise 3 (3), Konerko (1).
2-out RBI: Wise 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Thome; Cabrera 2.
S: Uribe.
Team LOB: 4.

BASERUNNING
CS: Pierzynski (1, 2nd base by Shields/Navarro).
 
Tampa BayABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Iwamura, 2B4121110.500
Upton, CF5100025.000
Pena, C, 1B1000010.000
  Aybar, W, 1B2111000.500
Longoria, 3B32331001.000
Crawford, LF4011011.250
Floyd, DH3000032.000
  a-Baldelli, PH-DH1000000.000
Navarro, C4010012.250
Gross, RF3010121.333
Bartlett, SS4120011.500
Totals34611631212 

a-Grounded out for Floyd in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Navarro (1, Vazquez, J).
3B: Iwamura (1, Vazquez, J).
HR: Longoria 2 (2, 2nd inning off Vazquez, J, 0 on, 0 out; 3rd inning off Vazquez, J, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Iwamura 4; Aybar, W; Longoria 9; Crawford; Navarro 2; Gross; Bartlett 2.
RBI: Longoria 3 (3), Iwamura (1), Aybar, W (1), Crawford (1).
2-out RBI: Longoria.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Gross; Bartlett; Navarro; Crawford; Upton 2.
SF: Aybar, W.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Longoria (1, 2nd base off Richard/Pierzynski), Gross (1, 2nd base off Vazquez, J/Pierzynski).
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Vazquez, J (L, 0-1)4.186616212.46
Richard 3.13002500.00
Dotel 0.10000100.00
 
Tampa BayIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Shields (W, 1-0)6.16331414.26
Balfour (H, 1)0.20000200.00
Howell (H, 1)1.00000200.00
Wheeler (S, 1)1.01110119.00

HBP: Pierzynski (by Shields).
Pitches-strikes: Vazquez, J 86-54, Richard 60-37, Dotel 5-3, Shields 100-65, Balfour 9-6, Howell 18-11, Wheeler 23-18.
Groundouts-flyouts: Vazquez, J 2-5, Richard 3-2, Dotel 0-0, Shields 9-5, Balfour 0-0, Howell 1-0, Wheeler 0-2.
Batters faced: Vazquez, J 22, Richard 15, Dotel 1, Shields 26, Balfour 2, Howell 3, Wheeler 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Richard 2-1, Dotel 3-0, Balfour 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Joe West. 1B: CB Bucknor. 2B: Ron Kulpa. 3B: Jeff Kellogg. LF: Gary Darling. RF: Eric Cooper.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:10.
Att: 35,041.
October 2, 2008

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