White Sox at Tigers
Shane Greene looks to keep alive an impressive early season run as he
leads host Detroit into the rubber match of a three-game set with the
Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Greene, acquired from New York in a
three-team trade this offseason, has helped the Tigers get past the
departure of Max Scherzer and the injury to Justin Verlander with two
outstanding starts out of the gate.
The solid beginning has also helped to offset the struggles of Anibal Sanchez, who was lit up in Saturday's 12-3 loss to the White Sox. Facing a Chicago lineup that entered having averaged 2.8 runs per game - 13th in the American League - Sanchez gave up nine runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings as Detroit saw its three-game winning streak come to an end. Jose Abreu slugged a grand slam and Adam LaRoche had a three-run homer to highlight a season-best 17-hit attack for the White Sox. Chris Sale allowed two runs in six innings for a Chicago staff that has a 1.79 ERA dating back to the third inning of a win over Minnesota on April 11.
TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (1-0, 4.09 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Shane Greene (2-0, 0.00)
Quintana followed up a rocky season debut with a solid effort at Cleveland on Tuesday, holding the Indians to one unearned run on three hits in six frames. He will be making his third straight start on the road, where he has a 3.40 ERA in 46 career games. The 26-year-old is 4-1 with a 3.14 mark in eight career starts versus Detroit.
Greene is the first Tigers pitcher to begin a season with two straight starts of at least eight innings pitched and no earned runs allowed since 1978. He limited the Pirates to three singles his last time out and has a minuscule 0.50 WHIP. Greene's lone start against Chicago last year saw him let up three runs on nine hits and two walks in five innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Abreu is hitting .378 with six home runs and 17 RBIs in 21 career games against Detroit.
2. White Sox LF Melky Cabrera was 4-for-5 on Saturday after opening the season 3-for-25 in his first six road games.
3. Tigers OF Rajai Davis is 10-for-26 with a home run against Quintana.