The White Sox will be trying to salvage a win in a series where they’ve been pretty well thumped in the first two games, and the pitching staff may give a try at keeping the Rays to fewer than eight runs while they’re at it. This will be the first game where there’s no one in the Sox lineup making a major league debut, so maybe experience will come into play.
The Sox presumably have their best starter on the mound, since it’s Anthony Kay’s turn in the rotation, though Jordan Leasure is playing the role
of opener. Before you slap your forehead and scream, “Oh, no — not HIM!!” please note that Leasure has given up no runs in his last four appearances, so somebody must have pointed out to him that the object is to keep opponents off the bases.
The Rays counter with veteran lefty Steven Matz, who is 3-0 with a 3.94 ERA and outstanding 0.938 WHIP and held the Yankees to two runs in five innings last time out. Matz will face a White Sox lineup without Colson Montgomery, who struck out four times last night, or any batter with more than 20 at-bats who’s hitting over .203, but with San Antonacci, who was 1-for-3 in his MLB debut last night ,in left and hitting ninth.
Leasure and presumably Kay will face a Rays lineup that has won five in a row, two of them pummels of the Sox and three of them close wins over the Yankees.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 Central, with a chance of thunderstorms theoretically going away about then, with a temp of 71 and winds blowing out to left. Usual broadcast suspects.
