Preview: White Sox at Rays

[September 19, 2014]  The Tampa Bay Rays begin their final home series of the year Friday when they host the Chicago White Sox in the first of three games. With a 9 1/2-game deficit in the race for a wild-card spot, the Rays have little else to play for in the standings with the exception of a last-gasp effort to achieve another winning season. They have finished above .500 six straight years and need to go 8-1 to keep alive that streak, which is tied for the second-longest in the majors.

Tampa Bay dropped the finale of a contentious three-game set with the Yankees on Wednesday, failing to hold a lead in the game for the first time in a span of 12 contests. Chicago dropped two of three at Kansas City to begin its final road trip of the year, along the way clinching their second straight losing season and fourth in six years. Star slugger Jose Abreu has finally cooled off, going 0-for-7 in the final two contests against the Royals after a seven-game hitting streak in which he hit .444 with two homers and three doubles.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (8-10, 3.30 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 3.63)
 

Quintana has overcome an August slump with three straight outstanding starts, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He struck out a career-high 13 while permitting a run and only three hits in seven innings to defeat Minnesota on Saturday. The 25-year-old is 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in two career starts versus Tampa Bay.

Hellickson is winless over his last seven starts despite posting three quality starts in that stretch, the latest of which saw him tie a season high with eight strikeouts at Toronto on Saturday. Since the beginning of August, he has allowed 14 earned runs in 18 2/3 innings at home, including five home runs. Hellickson is 1-2 with a 3.86 mark in his career against the White Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Abreu has belted 21 of his 35 home runs on the road.

2. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria has 46 RBIs in 56 games since the All-Star break.

3. The White Sox took three of four from the Rays in April while producing at least seven runs and 11 hits in each of the victories.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, White Sox 4

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