White Sox at Mariners
Chicago's Chris Sale and Seattle's Felix Hernandez square off in an
elite pitching matchup when the White Sox visit the Mariners in Friday's
opener of a three-game set. The two All-Star hurlers have combined for
25 victories — 14 by Hernandez, who is tied for the American League lead
in victories with Houston's Dallas Keuchel.
Hernandez seeks to rebound from a nightmare performance Saturday when he was the losing pitcher as Seattle allowed a franchise-worst total for runs in a 22-10 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Hernandez was tagged for a career-worst 10 runs and matched a season high by allowing 12 hits in just 2 1/3 innings and has given up 11 or more hits in three of his past four outings. Sale leads the AL with 208 strikeouts and fanned a career-best 15 in seven shutout innings of one-hit ball while defeating the Chicago Cubs in his last start. The White Sox scored just four runs while losing the first three games of a series against the Los Angeles Angels before breaking loose for 12 hits while registering an 8-2 win in Thursday's finale.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (11-7, 3.32 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (14-7, 3.65)
Sale has given up six total hits in 14 1/3 innings while winning his past two starts. He endured a rough two-start stretch preceding those outings when he was touched up for 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 10 1/3 innings. Sale is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against Seattle but has struggled against right fielder Nelson Cruz (6-for-13, two homers) while dominating center fielder Austin Jackson (2-for-30, 12 strikeouts).
Hernandez has allowed two or fewer runs in 16 of his 24 starts but has also given up seven or more runs on four occasions. He is 3-2 with a 6.31 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break and has served up six homers after giving up 10 in 18 starts prior to the break. Hernandez is 4-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 career starts against the White Sox and has been taken deep twice by Chicago infielder Gordon Beckham, who is batting .172 in 29 at-bats against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox 2B Carlos Sanchez is 8-for-22 over the past seven games.
2. Cruz has nine homers and owns an .844 slugging percentage in August.
3. Chicago DH Adam LaRoche was 2-for-4 with a homer Thursday after going 1-for-23 over his previous seven games.