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Jackson, White Sox visit Rays

Apr 18, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - Edwin Jackson returns to the site of the most memorable moment of his career this evening when the Chicago White Sox open a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Jackson pitched for the Rays from 2006-08, but it was his last trip to St. Petersburg that he'll always remember. While pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks last June 25, Jackson put his name in the record books with a no- hitter.

Although it really hasn't mattered where Jackson has faced his former team, as he owns a 3-0 lifetime mark against the Rays with a 1.44 ERA. That was certainly the case earlier this year when Jackson struck out 13 Rays over eight innings of one-run ball to get the win. Jackson is 2-0 overall on the season with a 2.89 ERA.

Tampa, meanwhile, will rely on its ace in the opener, as it sends David Price to the hill in search of his second straight win. After losing back-to-back starts to open the year, Price beat the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, holding them to a pair of runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Price was outdueled by Jackson on April 7 and has lost all four of his starts to the White Sox, while pitching to a 4.50 ERA in those contests.

Tampa had its five-game winning streak stopped on Sunday in a 4-2 loss to Minnesota.

"We really hit the ball well today. They played some good defense against us," said Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Jeremy Hellickson (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits over seven full frames for Tampa Bay, which lost for only the third time in its last nine games. Two of those losses in that span, though, have come at the hands of the White Sox, who took three of four from Tampa from April 7-10 in Chicago.

The White Sox have struggled mightily since that series, however, falling in five of their last six games and enter tonight's opener riding a four-game losing streak following a weekend sweep by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The White Sox managed just seven runs in the three losses to the Angels and have totaled just 18 runs since the Rays series. In five games since returning from his appendectomy, Adam Dunn has hit just .105 with a homer and 11 strikeouts in 19 at-bats.

"It's weird. I don't feel bad," said Dunn. "I feel fine, I just stink. I have no reason for it. I looked at film, and I'm swinging at a bad pitch at the wrong time and taking the right one. I'm not worried. I know it'll come around. Hopefully it's tomorrow."

Tonight the White Sox open an 11-game road trip that also includes stops in Detroit and New York.

"We're having trouble swinging the bats right now," said ChiSox manager Ozzie Guillen. "Hopefully leaving Chicago on a road trip, those things will start to come around like they did in camp."

Chicago has won five of its last seven matchups with the Rays.