Chicago @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2015 ) Chi. White Sox 5, Tampa Bay 7

Chris Archer looks to keep his historic run going when he takes the mound Saturday as his Tampa Bay Rays host the Chicago White Sox in the middle contest of a three-game series. Archer, who has won four straight decisions, is the first pitcher in the modern era to strike out at least 10 without a walk in three consecutive starts, according to Elias Sports Bureau, and whiffed 46 in his last four outings.

Archer has allowed one run or fewer in five straight turns for the Rays, who edged the White Sox 7-5 on Friday as Joey Butler notched three hits and two RBIs. Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija must contain the surprising Butler, who is 9-for-21 during a five-game hitting streak to raise his average to a robust .342. White Sox slugger Jose Abreu is just as hot, recording homers in three consecutive games while knocking in six runs in the process. Chicago saw its three-game winning streak come to an end in the series opener and has dropped three of its last four road games.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (4-4, 4.93 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (7-4, 1.84)

Samardzija looks to turn things around after two straight rough starts, allowing 15 runs and 22 hits over 12 1/3 innings to lose both after going 3-0 in his previous five outings. The Notre Dame product has yielded 94 hits – 11 homers – in 80 1/3 frames this season. Evan Longoria homered once in three at-bats against Samardzija, who gave up two runs over seven innings without a decision in his lone appearance versus Tampa Bay.

Archer surrendered one unearned run and six hits to beat Seattle last time out and has limited opponents to one or fewer tallies in nine of his 13 starts. The 26-year-old North Carolina native trails only Cleveland’s Corey Kluber (109) in the American League with 108 strikeouts in 83 innings. Abreu is 3-for-6 with a homer versus Archer, who is 1-0 in three appearances (two starts) with 5.02 ERA against the White Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago LF Melky Cabrera, who has struggled much of the season, owns five hits in his last 13 at-bats with three RBIs over the last four contests.

2. Tampa Bay LHP Jake McGee has permitted no runs and two hits with 10 strikeouts over his past seven outings, gaining a save in the last two.

3. White Sox INF Gordon Beckham is 0-for-18 in his last six games after hitting safely in 10 of his previous 11 contests.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, White Sox 1