Keyed-up Kennedy stars in lefty duel

ST. PETERSBURG -- It is matchups such as the one Sunday that Joe Kennedy anticipates and relishes.

In his 22nd start of the season, the Rays left-hander matched his win total from last season with a solid seven-inning effort opposite White Sox All-Star Mark Buehrle.

"He was an All-Star. He's 23 and I'm 23. He's left-handed and I'm left-handed," Kennedy said. "I was looking forward to coming out today and facing him."

Kennedy allowed one earned run on seven hits, struck out three and walked two to improve to 2-0 during the 11-game homestand.

"Joe did a marvelous job," manager Hal McRae said.

It was the 13th time Kennedy has gone at least seven innings and the third he has allowed one earned run or fewer. Kennedy is 4-4 with a 2.79 ERA at home this season.

Sunday's performance pulled him within one win of .500 (7-8). If the schedule holds true, he could make 10 more starts.

"As a pitcher you want a winning record," Kennedy said. "You don't want to be below .500. ... The last couple of starts I've really been bearing down and working hard and trying to get some victories for us and myself."

OUT AT HOME: Inserted into the starting lineup primarily because of his speed and defense, Jason Conti hasn't disappointed the past two games.

The rightfielder, who's 5-for-8 with four RBIs since replacing Ben Grieve, gave the Rays a boost in the sixth inning by throwing out White Sox designated hitter Frank Thomas at home for the second straight game.

"It was a pretty hard-hit ball," Conti said. "With the hitters they have in that lineup I thought maybe they'd hold him at third. They were up a run and they had the opportunity to be aggressive and they were. I was fortunate the throw beat him again."

That Thomas slid home Sunday also was notable. Conti threw out Thomas standing up at home Saturday, which led to a postgame confrontation between Thomas and teammate Carlos Lee about the nonslide.

MANAGERIAL OVERSIGHT: Catchers John Flaherty and Toby Hall are on a new three-games-on, three-games-off rotation after an unintentional mix-up by McRae.

The catchers had been on a 2-2 schedule for weeks until Flaherty started three consecutive games Thursday-Saturday.

"I didn't consciously do it," McRae said. "I was kidding Toby (on Saturday) about, 'Are you ready to go (Sunday)?' He said, 'Well, I thought I was going to go today.' "

Hall started Sunday and will be in the lineup the next two games.

A convenient byproduct of the new setup is that Flaherty will be paired with pitcher Paul Wilson, who has raved about Flaherty, in the right-hander's next start.

BUYING TIME: The combination of "stellar" defensive play and consistent offense will keep infielder Andy Sheets in the starting lineup for at least a couple more days. Sheets had his second three-hit game since being called up from Triple-A Durham on July 20 and is hitting .344 with nine RBIs.

"He's played well and he deserves playing time," McRae said. "He's swung the bat well and he's played stellar defense at second, short and third.

"Those are the kinds of players everybody is looking for."

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS: Victor Zambrano, who has appeared in 31 games as a reliever this season, makes his seventh professional start today as the Rays continue to work on the right-hander's confidence problems.

"We want to change things up a little bit to see if he can relax and put his ability into play," McRae said. "We're really trying to straighten him out ... and then make a decision on if he starts or goes back to the pen."

ODDS AND ENDS: Wilson's 3.92 ERA ranked 18th among American League starters and 46th in the majors entering Sunday. ... Leftfielder Carl Crawford turns 21 today. ... Double-A Orlando pitcher Dewon Brazelton, the Rays' first-round pick in 2001, got his second win of the season Saturday. He pitched seven scoreless innings against Tennessee.