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Rays beat White Sox to take 2-0 series lead
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-04 13:51 ST PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays survived a shaky start by Scott Kazmir to beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 on Friday and forge a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five American League divisional series playoff.
Kazmir gave up two runs in the first inning on three hits, a walk and a hit batter, but then combined with three relief pitchers to hold the White Sox scoreless for the next eight innings. "We had Kazmir on the ropes and we let him go. The opportunity was there," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters after the game. The White Sox left the bases loaded in the first inning and stranded a total of 12 runners in the game. "That means they've got clutch hitting and we don't," Guillen said. The Rays scored a run in the second inning and went ahead for good in the fifth inning when Akinori Iwamura hit a rare two run homer off Chicago starter Mark Buehrle. The Japanese second baseman hit only six home runs during the regular season in over 600 at bats. The Rays added three runs in the eighth inning on a triple by B.J. Upton, a single and a stolen base by Carl Crawford, a single by Rocco Baldelli and a double by Dioner Navarro. "Another wonderful game," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. Maddon said he was confident Kazmir would pitch well once he got through the first inning. Game Three is in Chicago on Sunday and if a fourth if is necessary, it will be held a day later at the home of the White Sox. Should a fifth and deciding game be required, the teams would return to St Petersburg for Game Five on Wednesday. "We've got to fight like a cat," Guillen said. The possibility of an all-Chicago World Series is now looking very remote as the cross-town Cubs are also in a 0-2 hole in their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. |
