CHICAGO – Edwin Jackson’s pitches were buzzing from the outset, his slider was biting and he had his control. That’s how he was able to strike out a career-high 13 and keep the Tampa Bay Rays winless through six games.
“Any time I’m able to go out and get in an early rhythm and get outs quick and attack the strike zone, I like my odds,” Jackson said Thursday after pitching the Chicago White Sox to a 5-1 victory in their home opener.
Jackson (2-0) had two strikeouts in each of the first five innings and he walked just one in his eight innings.
“I never really count the strikeouts. I really didn’t know how many I had today. I knew I had a lot, but if you asked me an actual number, I probably would’t have even been close,” he said. “I was able to mix it up a little bit in the count, keep them off balance and put them away when I had the chances to.”
The AL East champion Rays extended the worst start in team history — they haven’t even held a lead yet this year. Tampa Bay has scored exactly one run in five of its defeats.
Jackson (2-0),
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