White Sox at Mariners
It has been more than five months since Felix Hernandez came away with a victory. Hernandez likely is receiving one of his final attempts to record another win on Saturday, when the Seattle Mariners host the Chicago White Sox for the middle contest of their three-game series.
Seattle isn't expected to attempt to re-sign Hernandez when his seven-year, $175 million deal expires after the season. His lone victory during another injury-ravaged season occurred in his first start, when he defeated the Los Angeles Angels on April 1. Yoan Moncada drove in four runs while recording three hits for the second straight game to help the White Sox post a 9-7 victory on Friday. Jose Abreu, Adam Engel and Eloy Jimenez all homered for Chicago, which racked up 15 hits.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Cease (3-7, 6.53 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (1-6, 6.96)
Cease is winless in three turns since defeating Texas on Aug. 23. The 23-year-old rookie did not factor in the decision against the Angels last time out after giving up one run on four hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings. Cease is 1-3 with a 6.18 ERA in five road turns.
Hernandez was pounded for 11 runs - seven earned - and seven hits in two-plus innings while losing to Houston in his last start. The 33-year-old is 0-2 with an 8.04 in four turns since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly 3 1/2 months. Hernandez is 7-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 21 career outings against the White Sox and has shut down Abreu (2-for-17).
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners RF Kyle Lewis went 1-for-4 in the series opener but failed to match Colorado SS Trevor Story's 2016 record of homering in each of his first four major-league games.
2. White Sox SS Tim Anderson went 2-for-5 on Friday for his 11th multi-hit performance in 14 games while raising his American League-best batting average to .334.
3. Seattle SS J.P. Crawford (hamstring) went 0-for-3 with two walks after missing the previous 12 contests.