Rays Colored Glasses: White Sox down Rays despite defensive gem

Date: April 9, 2011

A: Chicago White Sox

Attendance: 26,378

W: Philip Humber (1-0) 3.38 ERA

L: Wade Davis (0-2) 4.38 ERA

S: Chris Sale (1)

Summary:

Fresh off their first lead (and win) of the season, the Rays took an early lead today in the second when Dan Johnson scored on a Ben Zobrist double. The lead wouldn’t last for long as the White Sox tied the game in the third.

Wade Davis really struggled in the fourth. After Paul Konerko doubled to lead off the inning, Davis walked A.J. Pierzynski and Mark Teahen. Brent Morel knocked in a the go-ahead run with a tiny fly ball that just eluded Davis, just behind the pitcher’s mound. Juan Pierre came up and crushed a ball to deep right that Sam Fuld made a leaping, diving catch on to save at least three runs. (Check out this clip–that will be on highlight reels for the rest of the season.)

The catch kept the game close, but White Sox starter Philip Humber made sure that the Rays did not come back. Over six innings, he only allowed the one run and four hits.

The White Sox added a pair of runs in the seventh on a two run double by A.J. Pierzynski off of reliever Jake McGee. McGee was brought in to clean up Juan Cruz’s mess, but had very little command of his fastball. These runs proved to be critical because the Rays got a run in the ninth on a Felipe Lopez homer off of Chris Sale. Sale shut down the Rays the rest of the way to earn the save.

Player of the Game: Sam Fuld for his great catch