(Sports Network) - The surprising Tampa Bay Rays own the best record in the American League and are set to play the third of four weekend games against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field this evening.

Yesterday, Cliff Floyd led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a game- winning home run as Tampa Bay edged Chicago, 2-1.

Floyd greeted Scott Linebrink (2-1) by driving an 0-1 fastball over the wall in right-center for his fourth home run of the year. The long ball ended a stretch in which the ChiSox bullpen had not allowed an earned run in 28 innings pitched.

B.J. Upton added an RBI single for the AL East-leading Rays, who have won six of their past eight games. Akinori Iwamura finished 2-for-4 with a run scored to help the Rays win for the 18th time in their last 21 home games.

James Shields started on the hill for Tampa and allowed just one run on seven hits in six innings, while walking one and fanning six . Dan Wheeler (1-3) earned the win with a scoreless top of the ninth.

Alexei Ramirez was 2-for-4 with a solo homer for the White Sox, who won Thursday's series opener by a 5-1 count. Jermaine Dye finished 2-for-3 with a double.

White Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera recorded his 1,500th career hit when he singled in the third inning

Jose Contreras surrendered just one run on five hits in seven innings for Chicago. Contreras has still never lost to the Rays, compiling a perfect 5-0 record in eight starts and one relief appearance.

The White Sox will give the ball to Javier Vazquez tonight, and he enters the game with a 5-3 record and a 3.52 earned run average. In his last outing against Cleveland on Monday, the righty allowed three earned runs on nine hits in six innings and did not factor in the decision.

Vazquez has already beaten Tampa Bay once this season and is 5-2 lifetime against the Rays with a 4.48 ERA.

The Rays are slated to send lefty Scott Kazmir to the bump, and good things have happened when he has taken the ball this season. Kazmir has overcome injury problems to post a 4-1 record with a sparkling 1.50 ERA. He has 32 strikeouts in 30 innings and has yet to surrender a home run.

Kazmir owns a 2-1 career record with a 4.19 ERA against Chicago.

Chicago has won nine of its last 12 versus the Rays and gone 7-2 in St. Petersburg during that time.