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Strikeout artists Kazmir, Vazquez to face off

May 31, 2008 - 1:45 PM Chi White Sox (30-24) at Tampa Bay (33-22) 6:10 p.m. EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- ST PETERSBERG, Florida (Ticker) -- For as bad as Scott Kazmir felt while the Tampa Bay Rays were getting off to a franchise-best start in April, he has to feel just as good for being a huge contributor to the team's continued success in May.

Kazmir eyes a win in his fifth straight start on Saturday as the Rays continue a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox.

After missing the first month of the season with a left elbow strain while Tampa Bay won 14 games in April for the first time in team history, Kazmir took the loss in his season debut, 7-3, at Boston on May 4.

From that point on, the American League's reigning strikeout king hasn't looked back, winning each of his next four starts, allowing only two runs over a 26-inning span while striking out 27, helping the Rays to an 18-10 record in May.

The lefthander's last start on Monday was no different when he yielded one run and three hits over seven innings while striking out a season-high 10 in a 7-3 win over Texas.

He'll likely need to be at the top of the game to keep up with Javier Vazquez (5-3, 3.52), who has guided his team to victories over each of his last four starts despite only collecting two wins for himself.

The righthander, who finished fourth in the AL in strikeouts a season ago, struck out a season-low two over six innings in Monday's 6-3 win, 12-inning win against Cleveland, allowing three runs and nine hits.