By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Rays vs. White Sox
When/where: 6:40 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Probable starters
RAYS: RHP Jeff Niemann (0-2, 6.32)
SOX: RHP Gavin Floyd (1-1, 4.29)
Tickets: $9-$210 at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team store in Tampa, $3 surcharge within five hours of game.
Watch for …
Standing tall: Niemann's April 10 start at Chicago didn't go well as he was pulled in the third after allowing five runs, and he wasn't happy about it. He is 2-3, 4.18 in five games vs. the Sox.
Sleepy Floyd: April is usually a rough month for Floyd, though he was sharp vs. the Rays in that April 10 game, allowing only an unearned run over eight innings. Overall he is 3-1, 2.48 against the Rays.
Key matchups:
Rays vs. Floyd
Johnny Damon 11-for-19, HR
Casey Kotchman 2-for-12
Ben Zobrist 3-for-12, 2 HRs
Sox vs. Niemann
Gordon Beckham 5-for-8, HR
Paul Konerko 3-for-13, 2 HRs
A.J. Pierzynski 6-for-13
On deck
Friday: at Jays, 7:07, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 4.50); Jays — Jo-Jo Reyes (0-2, 6.75)
Saturday: at Jays, 1:07, Fox Sports Florida. Rays — David Price (2-2, 2.83); Jays — TBA
Sunday: at Jays, 1:07, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (1-1, 3.07); Jays — Ricky Romero (1-2, 3.12)
Monday: Off
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
Quote of the day
"I feel like I should be a Band-Aid spokesperson; I'm keeping them in business."
OF Sam Fuld, given all the cuts and scrapes from his reckless catches
A pitcher and a puppet
There's not much to say about this photo of ace LHP David Price overly enjoying the DJ Kitty Hand Puppet before taping a promo spot for the July 3 giveaway. Said manager Joe Maddon: "He's the right guy."
Number of the day
2 Teams, of the 44 since 1900 that started a season 0-6, to get back to .500 in April: the 1991 Mariners and the 2011 Rays.