White Sox at Tigers
The Chicago White Sox are tied for the most runs scored in the American League Central Division but they have also allowed the most, a big reason they are sitting three games under .500. The pitching has shown improvement over the past week, helping the White Sox win four of their last six as they continue a four-game series at the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Yoan Moncada hammered a 458-foot homer and drove in two runs while rookie Ryan Cordell improved to 4-for-7 in the series as Chicago rolled to a 7-3 victory Friday to avenge a 9-7 loss in the series opener. "He’s doing things we all knew he could do," first baseman Jose Abreu told reporters of Moncada. "Now he has a chance to display what he can do -- amazing." Detroit, which entered Friday's contest with a major league-worst seven home runs, had three solo blasts in tumbling to its sixth loss in seven games. Catcher Grayson Greiner connected for his first major league homer while slumping Josh Harrison also went deep after going 1-for-22 in his previous five contests.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Ervin Santana (0-1, 10.38 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (0-0, 4.32)
Santana surrendered nine home runs in five starts in an injury-curtailed 2018 season and continued to have trouble with the long ball in his season debut when he was taken deep three times and gave up seven runs over 3 2/3 innings in a loss to Tampa Bay. He also gave up two homers in a no-decision versus Kansas City on Monday, yielding three runs over five innings. Nicholas Castellanos is 9-for-21 against Santana, who is 10-6 with a 3.86 ERA against the Tigers.
With Matt Moore out out for the season, Norris will get a chance to claim a rotation spot after making three relief appearances and allowing four runs on 11 hits, including three homers, over 8 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old has experience in that role, making 39 starts in 47 appearances from 2016 while posting a 9-15 record, including 0-5 with a 5.68 ERA last year. Abreu is only 1-for-8 with three strikeouts against Norris, who is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA versus the White Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. Abreu collected two hits and two RBIs Friday after going 3-for-36 in his previous 13 games.
2. Greiner has hit safely in seven consecutive games.
3. White Sox 3B Yolmer Sanchez is 9-for-26 over his last nine games.