Vazquez struggles, and Rays get best of Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In retrospect, the White Sox lost two games Thursday at Tropicana Field.

The first one was the biggie, and feel free to pin much of the blame on starting pitcher Javier Vazquez, who was smacked around again in a 6-4 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the American League division series.

"It's tough right now," Vazquez said after looking bad while allowing 6 runs on 8 hits in 4 innings. "This is by far the toughest stretch of my career right now. I've got no explanation ... keep working hard and try my best. Right now, it's not happening."

After Dewayne Wise stunned Tampa Bay in its first-ever playoff game with a 3-run homer off James Shields in the third inning, it looked like the Sox were going to pick up where they left off in 2005.

But the glow (and 3-1 lead) quickly faded in the bottom of the third when Vazquez gave up 3 runs on 3 hits. While getting pounded in his last start of the regular season against the Indians, Vazquez and catcher A.J. Pierzynski exchanged some heated words. This time around, Pierzynski voiced his displeasure after the game.

"He's up in the zone, he's falling behind guys," Pierzynski said. "He's not making pitches when he needs to. We're trying everything. We're trying to talk him through it, trying to keep his confidence up. We were hoping it would be a confidence boost that they let him pitch Game 1."

The White Sox' offense had an opportunity to erase Vazquez's forgettable outing, but that's when they lost the game within a game.

Trailing 6-3 in the seventh inning, the Sox loaded the bases with one out while chasing Shields.

Grant Balfour came out of the Rays' bullpen and struck out Juan Uribe on a high fastball.

The emotional Balfour acted like it was the final out of the World Series while yelling an expletive in Uribe's direction.

The right-hander's reaction prompted the Sox' next hitter, Orlando Cabrera, to kick dirt toward the mound and do some chirping of his own.

"It was nothing," Cabrera said. "It was just a moment of heat on the battlefield. We were trying to challenge each other."

Balfour immediately responded to Cabrera's dirt kick, and he really went off after striking out the White Sox' shortstop to get out of the inning.

"Apparently, he always does that," Cabrera said. "Nothing big. We're at war and I just lost the battle, that's all. Apparently, he likes to be challenged. So I was just trying to take his mind out of the game, something like that, and just challenge him a little bit and he won."

While screaming like a maniac after striking out Cabrera, Balfour took a couple steps toward home plate. He was ushered to the dugout, but Tampa Bay bench coach Dave Martinez also got involved after an exchange with somebody in the White Sox' dugout.

Naturally, all fingers pointed to Pierzynski, who always seems to be in the middle of any controversy.

"I didn't say a word to anybody," Pierzynski said. "I just saw Dave Martinez yelling at somebody. I don't know if he was yelling at Ozzie (Guillen) or who. I just ran off the field. I wasn't in the middle of it, so you guys can't blame me for once."

According to a player in the Sox' dugout, Jim Thome reacted to Balfour's outburst by swinging his bat at the Rays' dugout, and Martinez took exception.

It was a strange scene - especially for a playoff game.

"I think you guys are making this bigger than it is," Cabrera said. "It's over. Like I said, it was the heat of the moment and that's it. Obviously, they have home-field advantage. We've got to come here to take one, so there's another game tomorrow."

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