By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The dish
Rays at White Sox
When/where: 2:10 today; U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers
RAYS: LHP David Price (0-1, 5.14)
WHITE SOX: RHP Edwin Jackson (1-0, 3.00)
Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)
Watch for …
Price check: Price was solid in his opening day start, allowing four runs over seven innings, striking out seven and walking one. He is winless in three starts against the White Sox (0-3, 5.00 ERA), including two starts in Chicago.
Action Jackson: Jackson, a former Ray, threw a unique no-hitter the last time he faced his former team on June 25, walking eight and throwing 149 pitches. He is 2-0, 1.59 in two career starts against Tampa Bay.
Key matchups
White Sox vs. Price
Paul Konerko 4-for-9, HR
Carlos Quentin 1-for-6
Alexei Ramirez 2-for-8
Rays vs. Jackson
Kelly Shoppach 2-for-11
Johnny Damon 8-for-38
Ben Zobrist 1-for-5
On deck
Friday: at White Sox, 8:10, FSN. Rays — James Shields (0-1, 2.45); White Sox — John Danks (0-1, 3.00)
Saturday: at White Sox, 4:10, FSN. Rays — Wade Davis (0-1, 5.68); White Sox — Phil Humber (0-0, 27.00)
Sunday: at White Sox, 2:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (12-8, 4.39); White Sox — Gavin Floyd (0-0, 5.14)
Quote of the day
"I don't need to impress nobody. I've got almost 600 home runs."
DH Manny Ramirez, smiling, when asked if he were pressing to make a good impression. Ramirez has 555 homers in his career.
Quote of the day 2
"I don't always want to rely on road trips to the Northeast to get on a roll."
Manager Joe Maddon, whose team is heading on a seven-game trip to Chicago and Boston, after getting reminded how last season's hot start was sparked by a 9-1 road trip to Baltimore, Boston and Chicago
Turn back the clock
The Rays held their Senior Prom for Senior Citizens day at Tropicana Field, with old-school music, entertainment, a prom king and queen and a postgame centerfield shuffle. The event, created last season, will happen again Sept. 7.
Numbers of the day
15 Strikeouts by Rays pitchers on Wednesday, tied for third most in team history (record was 17 on Sept. 19, 2007, vs. Boston).
0.76 ERA by opposing starting pitchers in the Rays' five games.