White Sox at Tigers (Game 1)
The Chicago White Sox entered Monday having lost eight of the last nine division games, making this week a good time to face the Detroit Tigers. The White Sox hope to extend the misery of the Tigers a bit longer when the American League Central rivals clash in a day-night doubleheader Tuesday in Detroit.
Prior to Monday's 7-4 victory, Chicago lost to Detroit right before the All-Star break and dropped seven of eight against fellow Central rivals Minnesota and Kansas City, contributing to the club's dismal 4-16 start to the second half. The White Sox finally found their footing by taking two of three in Philadelphia over the weekend and continued their mini-surge in the opener while getting at least one hit from all nine starters to improve to 6-3 against the Tigers in 2019. Detroit (32-76) managed 11 hits Monday - including a solo home run from JaCoby Jones - but it wasn’t enough to avoid falling to 4-30 in its last 34 home contests. The Tigers are 4-19 since the All-Star break and could threaten the 2003 club for the worst record in the team's 119-year history (43-119) if they can't turn their fortunes around over the final two months of the season.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago, FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Cease (1-4, 6.43 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (3-8, 4.67)
Cease struck out six and lasted a season-high seven innings but suffered his fourth loss in as many outings Thursday against the New York Mets, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. The 23-year-old, who surrendered exactly one homer in each of his five career starts, has received a total of four runs of support in his turns during the losing streak. Cease earned the win in his major-league debut July 3 versus the Tigers, yielding three runs on four hits and four walks while fanning six in five frames.
Norris notched the first victory during his four-game unbeaten streak Wednesday in Los Angeles after firing five scoreless innings against the Angels. The Tennessee native has been particularly sharp over his last three turns, posting a 1.76 ERA while surrendering only one home run and striking out 16 across 15 1/3 frames. Jose Abreu (6-for-16, two doubles) and Leury Garcia (3-for-9, two RBIs) have each fared well versus Norris, who is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts against Chicago this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Tigers are averaging a majors-worst 3.60 runs per game and the White Sox rank 28th at 4.15.
2. Detroit finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the opener, lowering the team's batting average to a majors-worst .186 in such situations since the All-Star break.
3. Chicago SS Tim Anderson went 3-for-5 on Monday and is batting .348 during a five-game hitting streak to begin August.