Cleveland @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2011 ) Cleveland 1, Chi. White Sox 8
THE STORY: While both the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians are virtually out of the American League Central race, there is one difference between the two. The White Sox are still playing well, while the Indians are not. The teams will continue their four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday. The White Sox have won four of five while the Indians have lost four straight. Chicago used a seven-run seventh - highlighted by Paul Konerko's grand slam and Brent Morel's three-run homer - to break open a tie game for an 8-1 win on Thursday. Chicago trails the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers by 8 1/2 games while Cleveland is 10 games out.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), CSN (Chicago).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Jeanmar Gomez (2-2, 4.11 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.34 ERA)
Gomez will be making his first career appearance against the White Sox and has never faced any hitter on Chicago's roster. He has won his last two starts, giving up one earned run in 11 1/3 innings. Gomez has been up and down from the minors, but will get a long look in the final month of the season.
Buehrle was the starter in Sunday's 18-2 loss to Detroit. He was pounded for eight runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. It was only his second loss since June 16, a span of 13 starts. Buehrle is 1-1 against the Indians this season, allowing eight runs and 20 hits in 13 1/3 innings. He lost to Cleveland at home on Aug. 17 when he gave up four runs and 12 hits in 7 1/3 innings.
ABOUT THE INDIANS (70-71): It hasn't been a good couple of days for the bullpen. Cleveland's relievers have allowed two grand slams and a three-run homer in the last two days. Tony Sipp came into Wednesday's game against Detroit with a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning and gave up a grand slam on his first pitch to Victor Martinez. Frank Herrmann entered Thursday night's game in the seventh with the score tied and allowed a three-run homer to Morel on the first pitch. Josh Judy came in later in the inning and allowed a grand slam to Konerko.
ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (72-70): It looked like manager Ozzie Guillen's team was ready to go on vacation when it was swept in a three-game series in Detroit last weekend. After squandering an eight-run lead in an eventual 9-8 loss Saturday, the White Sox suffered an embarrassing 18-2 defeat the following night. At that point, rumors that Guillen was about to be fired and the team was going to implode flew around the Windy City. The White Sox have quieted that talk by winning three straight over the Minnesota Twins and followed Wednesday's loss by winning Thursday.
FINAL PITCH: The Indians haven't been two games under .500 since they lost the first two games of the season.