Chicago @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 10, 2014 ) Chi. White Sox 3, Boston 4

The Chicago White Sox played about as well as possible over the first four games of their road trip and will try to carry that momentum along when they visit the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a four-game series on Monday. The White Sox swept a four-game series from Cleveland by a combined score of 26-5 to open the trip and have won eight of their last nine away from home.

Chicago came out of the break with five losses in six games against league leaders Kansas City and St. Louis but found some offense to go along with great starting pitching against the Indians. Melky Cabrera led that charge and went 9-for-17 with eight RBIs in the series and is batting .311 with five home runs and 27 RBIs in 50 career games at Fenway Park. The Red Sox got a pair of home runs and seven RBIs from David Ortiz on Sunday in an 11-1 win, which marked a large departure offensively from the team that totaled 16 runs in the first nine games after the All-Star break. Boston will try to keep the hits coming against White Sox lefty John Danks, who will be opposed by Joe Kelly on Monday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH John Danks (5-8, 4.66 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (2-6, 5.74)

Danks has not been scored upon in three of his last four starts and scattered five hits without walking a batter over 6 2/3 innings without factoring in the decision against St. Louis on Wednesday. The veteran Texan did not surrender a home run in any of his last four starts. Danks is 4-6 with a 4.95 ERA in 11 career starts against Boston.

Kelly was called up from Triple-A to make a spot start at Houston on Wednesday and was ripped four three home runs while allowing four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The California native yielded nine runs and 14 hits over nine total innings in his last two major-league starts. Kelly is making his first career start against Chicago and is 1-3 with a 5.54 ERA in seven home outings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox starters have not issued a walk in any of the last five games.

2. Boston All-Star UTL Brock Holt (left knee tightness) left Sunday’s game and is day-to-day.

3. Chicago 2B Carlos Sanchez is 5-for-8 in the last two games, including his first two career home runs.

PREDICTION: White Sox 6, Red Sox 2