Detroit @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Detroit 18

THE STORY: If the White Sox had taken care of business the last time they faced the Tigers, perhaps their latest series would have meaning. Instead, the Tigers swept the White Sox right out of the playoff picture Sept. 2-4 at Comerica Park and have not slowed, pushing their winning streak to nine straight on Sunday. Chicago sits 10½ games behind with 17 left to play when it hosts Detroit in the opener of a three-game set Monday night.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSD (Detroit), WCIU (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Rick Porcello (13-8, 4.87 ERA) vs. White Sox LH John Danks (6-11, 4.09 ERA).

Porcello won at Cleveland on Tuesday, yielding one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old was removed after just 75 pitches as Detroit tries to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Porcello has never had much luck against Chicago, going 1-4 with a 7.46 ERA in six career starts. Danks has allowed 12 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings over his last two turns, absorbing the loss in both. The first came against Detroit on Sept. 2, when he was lit up for eight runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Danks is 4-6 with a 4.59 ERA in 14 career starts against the Tigers.

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (73-72): Chicago had a chance to make a move in the Central race 10 days ago but the Tigers beat them in every way possible. Justin Verlander put together a stellar performance in the first game, and the White Sox blew and 8-1 lead in the second. The finale was even worse, as Detroit put an 18-2 stomping over Chicago on national television. The White Sox have picked up the pieces to win five of eight since but are coming off a 7-3 loss to the Indians on Sunday. Rookie Zach Stewart struggled through five innings and the offense failed to get much done against Ubaldo Jimenez in the 7-3 setback. Their 10½-game deficit in the Central is one-half game off their largest of the season.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (84-62): The White Sox mark the last team currently sporting a winning record that Detroit will face before the playoffs. Manager Jim Leyland has the luxury of resting players and lining up his rotation, while keeping a close eye on the AL West for the No. 2 overall seed in the AL. After averaging more than nine runs during the first seven games of their current streak, the Tigers have put it on the pitching staff in the last two. They have been rewarded with strong performances from Max Scherzer and Doug Fister, who went seven scoreless innings in Sunday’s 2-1 triumph over Minnesota and has allowed just three earned runs in 36 2/3 innings over his last five starts.

FINAL PITCH: The White Sox on Sunday officially announced that righthander Jake Peavy would be shut down for the rest of the season. Rookie Dylan Axelrod will make his first major league start in Peavy’s place Wednesday. Peavy, who had surgery to reattach his lat muscle last July, has been dealing with arm fatigue since a four-inning relief appearance June 25.