Chicago @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 7, Baltimore 6
THE STORY: Still hanging tough in the American League Central, the Chicago White Sox bring a four-game winning streak into a Tuesday night road tilt with Baltimore. Chicago squandered an early 4-0 lead in Monday's series opener before regrouping in time to secure a 7-6 victory. A.J. Pierzynski had a home run and three RBIs while Alex Rios delivered the winning run with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Comcast Sports (Chicago), MASN 2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Gavin Floyd (9-10, 4.56 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Jo-Jo Reyes (5-8, 5.37 ERA).
Floyd had been pitching well, yielding just three runs (two earned) in 22 1/3 innings over his final three July starts, but the wheels fell off in an Aug. 3 loss to the New York Yankees (2 1/3 IP, 9 H, 10 ER). Floyd hopes to right the ship against the struggling Orioles. Though he didn't fare well in a May 1 start, surrendering six runs in six innings, the righthander is still 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six career starts against Baltimore.
Reyes makes his first start with the Orioles after being claimed off waivers from Toronto on Aug. 2. He made his lone relief appearance the following day, retiring both batters that he faced. Starting hasn't gone well of late for Reyes, who gave up 15 runs and 18 hits in 9 2/3 innings over his final two outings with the Blue Jays. This will mark the first time that Reyes has faced the White Sox in his career, though he has previous experience against four different Chicago hitters (3-for-15 combined).
ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (56-58): Chicago has had a disappointing season offensively, scoring just 453 runs, but it got contributions from a pair of its biggest letdowns on Monday. CF Rios, who entered the game with a .215 batting average, had a pair of hits, stole a base and drove in the decisive run, and DH/1B Adam Dunn – still hitting just .165 with 142 strikeouts – had an RBI single. The White Sox are now five games back of Detroit in the AL Central despite having not been above the .500 mark since April 15.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (44-68): Baltimore's beleaguered pitching staff – which ranks last in the major leagues in ERA (4.84), opponent batting average (.280) and WHIP (1.47) – betrayed it again on Monday, failing to hold the lead after J.J. Hardy's 20th home run of the season put the Orioles ahead in the seventh inning. The bullpen has one of the worst save percentages in baseball, blowing 14 of 33 opportunities this season. RHP Jeremy Guthrie leads the majors with 15 losses, escaping Monday's start with a no-decision after allowing five runs in seven innings.
FINAL PITCH: Hardy's home run on Monday made Baltimore the first team to have three different players with 20 homers or more this season. 3B Mark Reynolds leads the club with 26 and CF Adam Jones has 20.