Rays bid for second straight sweep in finale vs. White Sox

At the rate they are performing, the Tampa Bay Rays might not wear their white uniforms at home anytime soon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

After winning for the fifth straight time in their dark blue City Connect outfits, all on their nine-game homestand, the Rays likely will wear them again on Wednesday evening when they look to sweep the Chicago White Sox.

The Rays have outscored the White Sox 13-3 and out-hit them 21-10 en route to winning the first two contests of the series.

The lopsided losses extended Chicago's run differential to a majors-worst minus-92, easily the worst mark among the 30 teams.

Majestic swings by Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes produced three runs in Tuesday's 5-1 triumph, enough to hand the White Sox their second straight setback after they won consecutive games last weekend at the St. Louis Cardinals.

Arozarena, a hero in a ninth-inning rally against the New York Mets on Sunday, homered for the third time in five games on Tuesday. He said the decision on the funky uniforms that feature a devil ray logo on the hat is an easy one.

"We've got to keep using them to the 162nd game," Arozarena said.

With his club seeking its second consecutive sweep and season-high sixth straight victory, manager Kevin Cash said the level of play has increased.

"It feels like we've turned the dial or the volume up with the intensity and the energy," he said. "I'm impressed that it carried over from a big series with (the Mets), loud crowds and make sure we've been able to continue playing good baseball these last two games."

Cash said pitcher Ryan Pepiot, who was hit in the left leg Sunday by a line drive from New York's Starling Marte, will head to the injured list.

That could line up Taj Bradley to make his season debut in Friday's series opener at home against the New York Yankees.

On Wednesday, right-hander Aaron Civale (2-2, 6.14 ERA) will pitch for the Rays in the series finale against the White Sox. He is looking to regain his form from earlier in 2024.

In his last three starts, Civale has allowed five, six and seven earned runs, respectively. The six-spot came at the expense of White Sox in a no-decision on April 27.

Civale is 5-3 with a 4.91 ERA in 11 career starts against Chicago.

Tommy Pham and Paul DeJong have been the most productive players in the series for the once-again struggling White Sox. Pham expects to be back in the lineup after having Tuesday off.

According to manager Pedro Grifol, that is the plan with the 36-year-old Pham.

"I'm just giving him a break," Grifol said at the end of April. "I mean, he didn't have a spring training. He ran hard for three days. Everything he does is 100 percent. From the time he gets in here to the very last pitch of the game, he goes hard. So not having a spring training, I got to protect him, as well."'

Pham homered in Monday's 8-2 loss and is hitting .282 (11-for-39) in 10 games this season.

Chris Flexen (1-3, 4.85 ERA) will try to salvage a win for Chicago on Wednesday. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts against the Rays.