White Sox at Orioles
The Chicago White Sox are sitting in a tie for first place in the American League Central as they approach the final leg of a 10-game road trip, opening a three-game set at the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Chicago is 4-3 on the trek and improved to 8-3 in its last 11 overall after earning a split of a four-game series at Kansas City.
"We have a good team here with the chemistry and everything," White Sox left-hander Derek Holland told reporters following Thursday's 8-3 win over the Royals. "It's turning out to be what we want it to be." Chicago first base Jose Abreu has homered in back-to-back games and owns multiple hits in seven of his last 10 contests, going 16-for-40 during that span. Baltimore returns home after going 3-4 on a seven-game road trip that was capped by a tumultuous four-game set at AL East rival Boston. Third baseman Manny Machado, at the center of many of the heated emotions, clubbed three homers in the series including a three-run blast in Thursday's 8-3 win to salvage a split for the Orioles.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, MASN 2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Miguel González (3-1, 3.27 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wade Miley (1-1, 2.32)
Gonzalez is coming off a forgettable outing in which he was roughed up for seven runs (six earned) and a career-worst 14 hits in a loss at Detroit. He was magnificent in each of his previous two starts, allowing a combined one earned run and six hits over 16 1/3 innings in victories over Kansas City and the New York Yankees. Adam Jones is 3-for-3 lifetime against his ex-teammate.
Miley had a 6.17 ERA in 11 starts with Baltimore last year, but he has not allowed more than three runs in any of his five turns this season. The one bugaboo for the 30-year-old has been ongoing control issues as he walked seven in his season debut against the Yankees and 11 more over his past two outings. Melky Cabrera has been a nemesis for Miley, going 6-for-12.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox RF Avisail Garcia, batting an AL-leading .371, has two homers and nine RBIs in the last eight games.
2. Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop went 3-for-5 Thursday and has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games.
3. White Sox RHP Anthony Swarzak retired both batters he faced Thursday and has set down 31 of his last 32, including 13 in a row.