Padres at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox have seen their season-high losing streak reach six games, and they look to halt the slide when they host the San Diego Padres on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series. San Diego posted a 6-3 victory in the opener, winning for just the second time in nine games while sending the White Sox to their ninth setback in 11 contests.
Chicago has been outscored 34-18 during its skid and has given up at least six runs in seven of its last 11 contests. Leury Garcia went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs on Friday and is 9-for-20 during his five-game hitting streak. Austin Hedges is batting just .196 but hit a solo homer and a two-run double to fuel San Diego's offense on Friday. Rookie Allen Cordoba registered three hits for his first career multi-hit performance.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Trevor Cahill (3-2, 3.06 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Covey (0-3, 8.28)
Cahill has won each of his last three decisions, giving up just one earned run over 18 1/3 innings during those outings. The 29-year-old allowed just one hit over 5 1/3 scoreless frames against Oakland in his last turn but received an early hook due to a season-high five walks. Cahill is 1-3 with a 4.53 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against the White Sox but has struggled on the South Side of Chicago, going 0-1 with a 7.32 ERA in five games (four starts).
Covey has been pounded for six runs in each of his last two starts as he struggles during his first stint in the majors. He has served up seven homers in 25 innings, including three when the New York Yankees torched him for eight runs and 10 hits in five innings on April 19. Covey has a porous 1.92 WHIP and opposing batters are hitting .349 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox 1B Jose Abreu is just 1-for-15 over his last four games.
2. San Diego's Wil Myers served as the DH on Friday and hit his second homer in three games to raise his team-leading total to nine.
3. Chicago SS Tim Anderson will miss the entire series after heading home to Alabama for the funeral of a close friend who was murdered last weekend.