Rays hold White Sox to 5 hits in 4-0 win
CHICAGO - Cesar Ramos and two relievers combined to five-hit the Chicago White Sox in a 4-0 win by the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.
Ramos (1-1) gave up all five hits over five innings in his first scoreless start of the season. He started in place of Matt Moore, who had Tommy John surgery on Tuesday.
James Loney had three hits for the Rays, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Ryan Hanigan hit a two-run double to give the Rays a 2-0 lead in the second after Loney singled and Logan Forsythe walked.
Loney's single extended the Rays' lead to 3-0 in the third. Wil Myers scored after he doubled.
White Sox starter John Danks (2-1) struggled with his command and a high pitch count. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four, walked four and threw a career-high 123 pitches.
The White Sox threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with a walk, a single and another walk. Jose Abreu grounded out against Ramos to end the inning. Abreu hit a walk-off grand slam in the White Sox's 9-6 victory over the Rays on Friday.
Danks exited in the sixth after allowing a two-out, RBI triple to Desmond Jennings that made it 4-0. Danks has walked 17 and struck out 18 in 31 innings this season.
Ramos departed after he allowed a leadoff single in the sixth inning in his sixth career start. He walked two but didn't record a strikeout. Ramos has started three games this season after making four relief appearances. He allowed one run in five innings against the New York Yankees in his previous start.
Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the bottom of the eighth for his first ejection of the season. Home plate umpire Tim Timmons ejected Maddon after he appeared to protest Timmons' check swing call on leadoff batter Adam Eaton. Timmons called a ball after Eaton checked his swing on a 2-2 count. Eaton grounded out.
The White Sox were shutout for just the second time this season. They were averaging 5.58 runs per game, second in the majors entering Saturday.
NOTES: Before the game, the White Sox placed 3B Conor Gillaspie on the 15-day disabled list due to a left hand contusion, retroactive to Tuesday. Gillaspie is batting .302 with 12 RBIs in 16 games. He said he has been battling the injury for 2-3 weeks and hopes to swing a bat within 5-6 days. Marcus Semien started at third base. ... The White Sox added RHP Hector Noesi to the roster after they claimed him off waivers from the Texas Rangers on Friday. He was 0-1 with a 14.21 ERA in 6 1-3 innings with the Rangers and Seattle Mariners. He threw 1 1-3 scoreless innings Saturday. ... Rays RHP Grant Balfour stressed he was frustrated with himself and was not directing anger at White Sox DH Paul Konerko when they exchanged words after Balfour walked Konerko in the ninth inning Friday. "It was competitive stuff coming out," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "I think Paul might have been watching the Blackhawks game." ... RHP Scott Carroll will make his major league debut for the White Sox on Sunday. He is 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA for Triple-A Charlotte. LHP David Price (3-1, 4.04) will start for the Rays.