Chicago @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2015 ) Chi. White Sox 6, Cleveland 0

Whatever offensive problems the Chicago White Sox were dealing with immediately following the All-Star break have been wiped away over the last two games. The White Sox will try to post their third straight convincing win when they visit the Cleveland Indians in the third contest of a four-game series on Saturday.

Chicago averaged three runs in dropping five of six to the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals following the break but slugged four home runs in Thursday’s 8-1 series-opening win over the Indians and added another in Friday’s 6-0 triumph. Cleveland was teetering on the brink of wild-card contention coming into the series but dropped to 45-50 with Friday’s loss and could be motivated to enter the seller’s market in front of the July 31 trade deadline. A big problem for the Indians is winning in their own ballpark, and the latest setback marked their fourth straight loss at home. Cleveland could find runs hard to come by again on Saturday when Chicago ace Chris Sale takes the mound opposite Carlos Carrasco.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (8-5, 2.86 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (10-7, 3.94)

Sale was a little rusty in his return from the All-Star break on Sunday, when he allowed four runs and 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss against Kansas City. Those four runs matched his total in the previous three starts, spanning 24 frames. Sale did not factor in the decision versus Cleveland on May 18 despite yielding one run and four hits in eight innings and is 3-4 with a 3.97 ERA in 22 career games – 11 starts – against the division rival.

Carrasco failed to earn a decision in either of his last two starts despite surrendering a total of three runs and striking out 13 in 13 innings. The Venezuelan allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five outings. Carrasco took a line drive off the jaw in the first inning against Chicago on April 14 and left the game but returned seven days later and earned a win over the White Sox while yielding one run in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians LHP Nick Hagadone is expected to miss 6-9 months after undergoing surgery on his left elbow.

2. Chicago LF Melky Cabrera is 4-for-8 with two home runs and five RBIs in the series.

3. Cleveland 1B Jesus Aguilar went 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in his season debut on Friday.

PREDICTION: White Sox 4, Indians 3