St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Philip Humber tossed seven strong
innings while Dayan Viciedo had a home run, two RBI and scored three times to
lead the Chicago White Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-2, on Tuesday.
Humber (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in
Chicago's seventh straight win, including two to begin this three-game series.
Alexei Ramirez added two RBI and a run scored in the victory.
James Shields (6-3) was touched for six runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits and
a walk over six innings. He also struck out eight in the Rays' third loss in
four games.
Hideki Matsui made his season debut for Tampa Bay after signing a minor league
contract on April 30 and went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.
Matsui hammered a first-pitch fastball into the right field bleachers for a
2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Matt Joyce led off the frame with a walk prior
to Matsui's two-out blast.
Chicago answered in the fifth after Viciedo singled, moved to third on an
errant pickoff attempt by Shields and crossed the plate on Ramirez's base hit
up the middle.
Ramirez was later stranded on third to keep it a 2-1 game, but after Tampa Bay
failed to extend its lead in the bottom of the fifth by stranding a man on
second, the White Sox went on top on the sixth.
Adam Dunn started the rally with a leadoff walk, moved to second on an Alex
Rios one-out single and came home the next batter on A.J. Pierzynski's base
hit to right.
A Shields wild pitch placed runners on second and third before Viciedo pulled
a ball through the left side of the infield to score Rios. Ramirez then
doubled in Pierzynski before Viciedo came home on Orlando Hudson's single and
Alejandro De Aza beat out a potential double-play grounder to score Ramirez
and give Chicago a 6-2 advantage.
Viciedo's solo shot over the left-center field wall in the eight inning
finalized the scoring as the Rays left a man on second in the home eighth
before Hector Santiago worked a scoreless ninth to seal the win.
Game Notes
The White Sox have not won seven straight games since August 30-September 6,
2010...Humber improved to 2-1 in four appearances -- three starts -- against
Tampa Bay...Chicago is has won eight of its last nine road games and has a
16-9 mark on the road this season...White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko went
0-for-4 to snap a 14-game hit streak...Tampa Bay went 0-for-6 with runners in
scoring position and left six men on base.
The Sports Network