Chicago @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 17, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 12, Colorado 6

THE STORY: Two powerful but inconsistent clubs square off in the mountains when Colorado opens a three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. Both teams are hovering just below the .500 mark despite lineups loaded with heavy hitters. The Rockies return home after a seven-game road swing that was capped by a 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday. The White Sox, meanwhile, concluded a six-game homestand by losing two of three to Washington over the weekend.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, WCIU (Chicago), ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Gavin Floyd (6-7, 4.31 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jason Hammel (4-7, 4.13 ERA)

A one-inning relief appearance on May 28 seems to have thrown Floyd off of his rhythm – he is 1-2 with a 5.96 ERA in June, suffering defeats in his last two starts while allowing 10 runs on 16 hits in 13 innings. He has been battered in two career games against Colorado, going 0-1 with a 9.31 ERA while allowing five home runs in just 9 2/3 innings. Current Rockies, though, are just 5-for-25 combined against Floyd, with the only homer coming off the bat of 1B Jason Giambi.

Hammel has struggled in his last two starts, allowing 10 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings. He was bailed out of a poor outing against Detroit on June 17, giving up six runs but earning the win after the Rockies exploded for 13 runs. Hammel has made five career appearances, including one start, against the White Sox, going 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA. He has allowed three home runs in 11 2/3 innings, including two to 1B Paul Konerko (2-for-5). Chicago DH Adam Dunn is 5-for-13 with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs.

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (38-41): Chicago boasts one of the hottest hitters in the game in Konerko, who ranks among the American League leaders in batting average (.324), home runs (21), RBIs (60), slugging percentage (.588) and OPS (.983). The rest of the club hasn't been nearly as reliable – DH Adam Dunn has had a particularly tough year, batting an anemic .173 with 100 strikeouts in just 231 at-bats. A.J. Pierzynski has picked it up in June, batting .358.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (38-40): Colorado has plenty of firepower in its lineup, with SS Troy Tulowitzki (14 HR, 50 RBIs) and LF Carlos Gonzalez (12 HR, 45 RBIs) getting most of the headlines, but RF Seth Smith has been the steadiest producer. Smith leads the club in batting with a .310 average, and he has hit at better than a .300 clip each month (.306 in April, .303 in May and .333 in June). The pitching has been lacking during the current three-game losing streak, surrendering 21 runs.

FINAL PITCH: The White Sox have the worst stolen-base percentage in the American League (31 of 61), but the Rockies are one of the easier teams to steal on, having thrown out just 22 of 82 runners this season.