Twins at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are 0-4 for the first time since 1995 and will try to avoid their worst start in more than 30 years when they host the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Tommy Milone shut down the White Sox in the series opener to give the Twins their first win.
The Twins started the season with 24 consecutive scoreless innings and did not score an earned run in their season-opening sweep at the hands of Detroit, but the offense came to life in Chicago. Brian Dozier homered, Joe Mauer knocked in a run and reached base four times, and Minnesota banged out 10 hits. Chicago's offensive woes continued, as the White Sox have had five or fewer hits and scored one or zero runs in three of their four games. Chicago has not started 0-5 since 1974, when they had five losses and two ties in their first seven contests.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Mike Pelfrey (2014: 0-3, 7.99 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (0-1, 7.50)
Pelfrey lost out on the fifth spot in the rotation in the spring but was promoted after Ervin Santana's suspension. The 31-year-old has missed the majority of two of the past three seasons because of two elbow surgeries and made only five starts a year ago. Pelfrey is 0-3 with a 6.66 ERA in five career starts against the White Sox with each meeting coming in 2013.
Samardzija had command problems in his White Sox debut, issuing three walks and hitting two batters as he allowed five runs over six innings on Opening Day. The loss dropped the 30-year-old to 5-10 with a 3.67 ERA in April. He is 1-1 with a whopping 9.31 ERA in two previous starts against the Twins, but those numbers are skewed by a disastrous outing in 2012 and he gave up only two runs over six innings in a victory over Minnesota last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox 1B Adam LaRoche has worn out Pelfrey, going 9-for-13 with two doubles against him.
2. Mauer is a career .337 hitter at U.S. Cellular Field and has hit .320 in 149 career games against the White Sox.
3. Chicago 2B Micah Johnson, who was 1-for-3 with a bunt single Friday, is the only White Sox regular hitting over .300 at .333.