The Tampa Bay Rays (76-48) defeated the Chicago White Sox (72-52) on Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field. The win was a nice bounceback win for Tampa Bay, who maintained their four game lead atop the American League East.
The Rays scored three in the first and one in the second to take an early 4-0 lead. Though the White Sox answered with one in the top of the third, the Rays added one in the fourth and one in the fifth to create some separation. The closest the White Sox got was 6-4 after they scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, but the Rays answered right back with RBIs from Manuel Margot and Joey Wendle in the bottom of the eighth inning to establish the 8-4 lead that would prove to be the final.
Luis Patino (3-3, 4.53) had a nice start on the mound, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out five and walking one in six innings of work. Collin McHugh picked up his first save of the season in closing out this game for the Rays.
The Rays will now look to win the series from the White Sox on Sunday afternoon. First pitch Sunday is scheduled for 1:10 PM - pregame coverage begins with Neil Solondz and This Week In Rays Baseball on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES