Red Sox at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox look to take advantage of a seven-game homestand to end August and climb back into the playoff race when they host the Boston Red Sox on Monday for the first of three contests. The White Sox stand 5½ games behind Texas for the second wild-card spot in the American League after finishing a western road trip 3-4.
Jose Abreu is 12-for-35 with nine RBIs over his last nine games for the White Sox while teammate Adam LaRoche might be finding his stride after going 5-for-16 with two homers and five RBIs on the trip. Boston’s Joe Kelly vies for his fifth straight victory and faces Jeff Samardzija, who attempts to end a four-game slide that started after beating the Red Sox on July 28. Boston, which lost three of four to Chicago last month, finished 6-4 on its homestand after dropping the last two contests against AL Central-leading Kansas City over the weekend. Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. has knocked in 19 runs in his last dozen games for the Red Sox.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (6-6, 5.37 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (8-9, 4.64)
Kelly has posted better numbers in each of his last four starts, capped by a victory over Cleveland on Wednesday when he allowed one unearned run over six innings. The 27-year-old has yielded nine runs (eight earned) in 22 1/3 innings during his winning streak. Melky Cabrera is 4-for-8 with three doubles versus Kelly, who gave up five runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 frames without a being involved in the decision against the White Sox on July 27.
Samardzija pitched well in his last outing, allowing one run and eight hits over seven strong innings in a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The Notre Dame product permitted four runs in eight frames against Boston to end his July slate with a 3-1 record and 2.27 ERA. Hanley Ramirez (10-for-23) and Pablo Sandoval (4-for-10, two homers) have caused trouble for Samardzija, who is 1-1 in three career outings against the Red Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz has 492 career homers and needs one to tie Fred McGriff and Lou Gehrig for 27th on the major league’s all-time list.
2. Chicago OF Trayce Thompson is 9-for-19 in his first 10 major league games after belting his second homer Saturday at Seattle.
3. Boston utilityman Brock Holt missed the Kansas City series with a strained left oblique and is considered day-to-day.