Vazquez outdueled by Kazmir in Sox 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The White Sox wasted another solid starting effort Saturday night, this time from Javier Vazquez.
While he allowed only 2 runs on 5 hits over 7 innings while striking out 10, Vazquez was outdueled by Scott Kazmir in the Sox' 2-0 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field.
"I knew coming in I couldn't give up much,'' Vazquez said. "Right now, we're not hitting the way we'd like, but I can only control what I do on the mound. I try to shut down the opposition, but sometimes that doesn't happen.''
Vazquez allowed B.J. Upton's run-scoring groundout in the third inning and Cliff Floyd's solo home run in the fourth.
"I was a little (ticked) off when I gave up the home run to Cliff,'' Vazquez said. "Other than that, I kept the team in the game.''
Stick with it: The White Sox have scored just 1 run in the last two games against Tampa Bay, but manager Ozzie Guillen isn't losing his patience.
"If just one guy was struggling, we could make a change,'' Guillen said. "We're still waiting, but we're not going to get (rid) of those guys. We just have to keep working.''
Ramirez gets the nod: Juan Uribe was activated off the 15-day disabled list before Saturday's game against the Devil Rays.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said that when deciding between Uribe and Alexei Ramirez as his starting second baseman, he'd go with the hot hand.
Not surprisingly, Ramirez was in the lineup Saturday.
The slender rookie played very well when Uribe was sidelined, and Ramirez continued to be one of the Sox' few reliable hitters at the moment when he doubled with one out in the first inning against Rays starter Scott Kazmir.
Ramirez also saved a run with a spectacular defensive play in the third inning, diving to his left to take away a hit from B.J. Upton.
"I want to take advantage of the opportunity Ozzie has given me,'' Ramirez said through a translator. "There are a lot of good players on this team that also want to play. I'm starting to play the way I did in Cuba, and that's they way I have to keep playing if I want to stay in the lineup."
Before signing a four-year, $4.75 million free-agent contract with the White Sox, Ramirez played seven seasons for Pinar del Rio in his native Cuba and batted .334.
Rays for real? With Saturday's win, Tampa Bay improved to 34-22, the best record in the American League.
Not bad for a franchise that has finished last nine times in its 10-year history, but Sox manager Ozzie Guillen isn't completely surprised by the Rays' fast start.
"Good for them,'' Guillen said. "They're not a team that will outslug you, but they will outpitch you and outrun you. I don't think it's a fluke.''
Roster move: As expected, outfielder DeWayne Wise was designated for assignment Saturday after Juan Uribe came off the 15-day disabled list.
Wise is likely to return to Class AAA Charlotte. He was 0-for-6 in six games with the Sox.
Rays 2, White Sox 0
On the mound: Starter Javier Vazquez pitched 7 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits. Vazquez had 10 strikeouts, the 34th time in his career he's reached double digits. Boone Logan pitched 1 scoreless inning.
At the plate: The Sox are scoreless in their last 13 innings and have 1 run in the last 19 innings. Alexei Ramirez's double and singles by Jermaine Dye, Toby Hall and Joe Crede were the only hits Saturday.
-- Scot Gregor