White Sox Start Series With Tigers
DETROIT (AP) After a long offensive slump, the Chicago White Sox got a nine-run outburst to end their seven-game losing streak. Now the White Sox try to start a different kind of streak with Mark Buehrle on the mound.
The White Sox look to avoid a seventh consecutive loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at Comerica Park to open a three-game set.
Chicago (8-11) ended a seven-game skid after matching its run output from the previous six games with a 9-2 win at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Paul Konerko had three hits with two RBIs and Juan Pierre went 2 for 4 with three runs as the White Sox recorded 10 hits - equaling their total from the previous two games.
"Maybe this might be a little momentum we need going into the next series," Pierre said.
The White Sox now look to end their struggles against the Tigers (9-10), who went 10-8 versus Chicago in 2010.
The White Sox won seven of the first nine in last season's series, but were outscored 64-32 while dropping eight of the final nine meetings. Chicago went 5-4 at Detroit, but have been outscored 20-5 during a three-game skid at Comerica Park.
Buehrle (1-1, 4.50 ERA) looks to end that rough stretch while trying to continue his recent success against the Tigers.
The left-hander is 5-0 with a 2.47 ERA in eight starts versus the Tigers since losing to them on July 23, 2007. Buehrle is 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA in his last five at Comerica dating to a 4-0 loss there on Aug. 22, 2006.
Buehrle, however, has allowed nine runs in 11 innings while going 1-0 on the road this season. His last start came at home, where he gave up four runs and 10 hits in seven innings of a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
"He pitched like he always does," manager Ozzie Guillen told the White Sox's official website. "He went out there and threw strikes."
Justin Verlander (1-2, 3.41) hopes his recent success against Chicago will help avoid a third straight losing start.
The right-hander has not pitched badly while allowing six runs in 15 innings over his last two starts, but the Tigers have totaled two runs in those contests. Verlander gave up four runs and walked three in six innings of a 6-2 loss at Oakland on Saturday.
Though Verlander is 7-9 with a 4.55 ERA in 19 starts versus Chicago, he has a 1.73 ERA while winning five straight starts against the White Sox dating to 2008. He's given up four earned runs in 23 2-3 innings to win his last three starts against them at home.
Konerko, 4 for 9 over the last two games, hit .370 with two homers and five RBIs in seven games at Detroit last season. However, he is 4 for 38 with 12 strikeouts lifetime versus Verlander.
Detroit's Brennan Boesch hopes stay hot after he went 6 for 10 with two RBIs as the Tigers took two of three in Seattle, including a 3-2 victory Wednesday, to conclude a 4-3 trip.
"We're on the verge of being able to start clicking and get something good going," third baseman Brandon Inge told the Tigers' official website.
Boesch is batting .368 in his last seven games versus Chicago.
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