TAMPA (Interstat) — Drew Rasmussen pitched six scoreless innings and Nick Fortes drove in the only run as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox 1-0 Saturday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field.

Rasmussen allowed four hits and struck out 10, improving to 10-5. He walked none and retired the final eight batters he faced. The right-hander was the game’s clear top performer, continuing a strong stretch after throwing seven scoreless innings against Cleveland on July 26.

Noah Schultz took the loss for Chicago, falling to 3-8. The left-hander allowed one run on three hits over five innings, striking out four and walking none. Schultz retired the side in order in the first, third and fourth innings, but Tampa Bay broke through against him in the fifth.

The Rays scored the game’s only run in that inning. Jonny DeLuca singled to left with one out, then advanced to third when Ben Williamson grounded out to first. Fortes followed with a line-drive single to left, scoring DeLuca and giving Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Fortes finished 1-for-3 with the RBI.

Chicago had a scoring chance in the top of the fifth. Braden Montgomery singled sharply to left, and Edgar Quero followed with a line-drive single that was deflected by third baseman Junior Caminero. Montgomery advanced to third and Quero moved to second when left fielder Chandler Simpson threw errantly. But Sam Antonacci lined out sharply to right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. to end the threat, and the White Sox would not get a runner past second base again.

Both teams finished with five hits. Chicago’s best remaining opportunity came in the seventh when Randal Grichuk singled with one out, but Braden Montgomery, Everson Pereira and Chase Meidroth all struck out to end the inning. Grichuk also struck out in the ninth as the game ended with a called strike three.

Tampa Bay’s bullpen preserved the one-run lead. Kevin Kelly struck out two in a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit. Cam Booser recorded two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning, Garrett Cleavinger got the final out of the eighth, and Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout for his 31st save.

Chicago’s relievers also kept the game close. Seranthony Domínguez struck out two in a perfect sixth. Jordan Hicks struck out one in a perfect seventh. Trevor Richards allowed two hits in the eighth but escaped unscathed, helped by a groundout from Junior Caminero.

The White Sox struck out 16 times in the game, including nine against Rasmussen. Munetaka Murakami struck out three times. Colson Montgomery, Andrew Benintendi and Miguel Vargas each struck out twice. Rays pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts while Chicago pitchers recorded nine.

The announced attendance was 23,309. The game lasted 2 hours, 14 minutes.

With the victory, Tampa Bay improved to 65-45. Chicago fell to 58-52. The teams play again Sunday in the series finale. Chicago won Friday’s opener 6-1, and Tampa Bay evened the series with Saturday’s shutout.

Rasmussen outdueled Schultz in a game dominated by pitching. The White Sox put a runner in scoring position in the third when Edgar Quero singled, but Sam Antonacci struck out. In the fourth, Murakami singled sharply to right, but Miguel Vargas lined out and Colson Montgomery flied out. The Rays turned a double play to end the eighth after Yandy Díaz singled and Chandler Simpson singled, with Montgomery grounding into a fielder’s choice.

Tampa Bay’s defense was sharp behind Rasmussen. Center fielder Jonny DeLuca made a running catch on Tristan Peters in the fifth. Right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. caught a line drive from Antonacci to end the fifth. Second baseman Ben Williamson and shortstop Taylor Walls turned a groundout to end the seventh.

Schultz, making his 16th start of the season, allowed only three hits. He struck out Junior Caminero twice and got Taylor Walls on a foul tip in the seventh. The lone damage came on Fortes’s two-out single after DeLuca had reached base.

Rays catcher Nick Fortes also helped frame pitches effectively, and Tampa Bay’s staff did not issue a walk. Rasmussen threw 81 pitches, 57 for strikes, while Schultz threw 75 pitches, 42 for strikes. The game featured no home runs and no extra-base hits, with all 10 hits being singles.

Chicago threatened in the top of the first when Antonacci walked, but Murakami and Vargas struck out. The White Sox had three baserunners in the fifth but could not score. Quero advanced to second on the throwing error, but Antonacci’s lineout ended the inning.

Tampa Bay’s relief trio of Kelly, Booser and Cleavinger bridged the gap to Baker. Baker, who entered with 30 saves, retired the side on 10 pitches, getting a flyout, a groundout and a strikeout.

Chicago’s relief corps kept the deficit at one, but the offense could not solve Rasmussen or the Tampa Bay bullpen. The White Sox struck out 16 times and grounded into one double play.

The loss was Chicago’s second in three games. Tampa Bay had lost Friday but rebounded behind Rasmussen, who has now won his last two starts. The Rays’ bullpen has not allowed an earned run in its last four games.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay Rays 7, Chicago White Sox 5. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tampa Bay with a 59.10 percent probability to win. Tampa Bay had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 8.