Chicago @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2012 ) Chi. White Sox 1, Boston 10

One player lands on the disabled list, and another comes off. A day after placing David Ortiz on the DL with a heel injury, the Boston Red Sox are expected to activate second baseman Dustin Pedroia (thumb) from the 15-day DL for Thursday’s finale of a four-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox have not had a lot of trouble scoring runs against the White Sox and will try to make it three of four in the finale.

Pedroia’s customary No. 2 spot in the batting order has been taken over by Carl Crawford, who has combined with Jacoby Ellsbury to go 10-for-23 with nine runs scored out of the top two spots during the series. Pedroia will likely hit third, in front of red-hot Adrian Gonzalez. The White Sox have dropped three of five to allow the Detroit Tigers to creep back into the picture in the American League Central. The pitching has been the big problem, with the staff serving up an average of 5.8 runs in six games since the All-Star break.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (4-1, 2.60 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (8-3, 5.54)

Quintana has not lost since June 6 but has been knocked around in two of his last three turns. The 23-year old Colombia native was reached for five runs and eight hits in five innings at Kansas City last weekend but was bailed out by the offense in a no-decision. He beat the Texas Rangers with eight strong innings before the All-Star break but had allowed six runs in six innings to the New York Yankees on June 29.

Buchholz came off the disabled list before his last start and looked great through the first six innings before running out of gas in the seventh. The 27-year old was charged with four runs on just three hits while walking one and striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings. Buchholz has not had much success against Chicago in the past, going 1-2 with a 6.53 ERA in four career starts. Paul Konerko is 4-for-8 with a homer against the right-hander.

WALK-OFFS

1. Gonzalez has multiple hits in each of the last four games to lift his average to .296 - its highest point since Apr. 28.

2. The White Sox have not lost a series since dropping two of three to the crosstown-rival Cubs last month.

3. Red Sox OF Cody Ross became the third player in the majors this season to hit three-run homers in consecutive at-bats when he went deep in the third and fourth innings on Wednesday.