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Rays-White Sox Preview

Apr 21, 2010 - 4:19 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (10-3) at Chicago (4-9), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The last time Mark Buehrle faced the Tampa Bay Rays, he became part of major league history.

The Chicago White Sox would likely settle for a quality start from their ace this time.

Buehrle faces the Rays for the first time since throwing a perfect game against them last summer when the teams continue their series Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

With a no-hitter already under his belt, Buehrle (2-1, 3.00 ERA) recorded the 18th perfect game in major league history with a 5-0 home win on July 23.

"I expect to throw a perfect game every time I go out there. I know it's not going to happen, though," Buehrle said. "Obviously facing this team again, I'm not going to be thinking about the last time I faced them and what happened. It's a new year."

The left-hander is 6-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 12 starts versus the Rays (10-4), and 2-0 with a 2.52 ERA in five home starts against them. Buehrle, however, is coming off an outing in which he allowed six runs and four walks in six innings of a 6-2 loss at Cleveland on Friday.

Though the White Sox (5-9) are off to a disappointing start in 2010, they ended a four-game skid with a 4-1 win Tuesday that also snapped the AL East-leading Rays' seven-game winning streak.

"We've been saying all along that we are way better than we've been playing and I truly believe it. I think it's just a matter (of) time before we start clicking and hopefully it started (Tuesday)," said Chicago's John Danks, who allowed two hits over eight innings in the series opener. "We all feel that way. We're better than how we've played so far and we know we got off to a pretty disappointing start, but with that said there is a 148 (games) left and every team is going to go through a slump and we got ours early."

Paul Konerko had three hits, including his fifth home run. Konerko is 6 for 15 with two homers in his last four games for White Sox, who rank near the bottom of the majors with a .223 batting average.

Andruw Jones, though, had two hits including his fourth homer to raise his average to .323.

Chicago will get its first look at Tampa Bay's Wade Davis (0-1, 4.09) in this contest.

Davis, who went 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA in six starts during his first major-league season a year ago, was solid in his last outing. The right-hander gave up a run and two hits in five innings of a 3-1, 12-inning win at Boston in a game that was suspended by rain Friday and completed Saturday.

Carl Crawford homered and had all three hits Tuesday for the Rays, who totaled 46 runs and 63 hits during their winning streak.

Crawford is hitting .340 with 10 RBIs this season, and is 12 for 28 all-time against Buehrle.

The White Sox have won seven of nine from Tampa Bay.