Chicago @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 15, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 8, Detroit 2

THE STORY: The Detroit Tigers look to rebound after being knocked out of first place in the American League Central when it hosts the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. The Tigers saw ace Justin Verlander get beaten up in an 8-2 setback Friday, a loss that bumped the Tigers one game behind Cleveland after the Indians held on for a 6-5 victory at Baltimore. Chicago starter Edwin Jackson goes up against his former team for the second time this year.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Edwin Jackson (5-7, 4.30 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (10-4, 4.69).

Jackson has split a pair of mediocre July starts, going 1-1 while giving up eight earned runs in 13 innings. Chicago had lost his previous five starts dating back to May 28. Jackson has started to regain his command of late, striking out 27 over his last 26 2/3 innings while walking only four. He gave up two runs in six innings against Detroit on June 4, a big improvement over the beating the Tigers gave him April 23 (5 2/3 innings, 12 hits, eight runs, seven earned). Detroit outfielder Magglio Ordonez is 7-for-15 with a home run against Jackson. The wins keep coming for Scherzer despite an erratic stretch of pitching that has seen his ERA jump nearly two runs since he was 6-0 with a 2.81 ERA in mid-May. He had arguably his best outing of the year against the White Sox, surrendering only four hits over eight shutout innings in an April 24 victory. Scherzer is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in five career starts against Chicago. White Sox hitters are batting a combined .211 (23-for-109) against Scherzer, but he has struggled with designated hitter Adam Dunn (3-for-7, 2 HRs, 2 BBs).

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (45-48): Chicago got a big night Friday from right fielder Carlos Quentin, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Quentin and first baseman Paul Konerko (.320), a fellow All-Star, have paced the White Sox lineup all season, combining to drive in 121 runs. Chicago has had to rely on the power game this season because small ball isn't its forte - the White Sox are the worst base-stealing team in the American League (37-for-69).

ABOUT THE TIGERS (49-44): Detroit has been maddeningly inconsistent all season with first baseman Miguel Cabrera one of the few constants in the lineup. Cabrera is batting .314 with 19 home runs - including a two-run shot for the Tigers' only runs Friday - and 61 RBIs. He has gotten some help from catcher Victor Martinez (.318) and shortstop Jhonny Peralta (.308), but several other key players have struggled, most notably right fielder Magglio Ordonez, whose .218 average is 91 points below his career clip.

FINAL PITCH: Detroit has given up 79 runs in the last 10 games started by someone other than Verlander, and allowed 13 or more runs in four of those contests.