White Sox at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are thriving at home and will seek to continue that success when they open a four-game series on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox. The Mariners are a stellar 12-6 at Safeco Field and just won their fifth consecutive home series by taking two of three from Oakland.
Seattle's Jean Segura delivered a two-run single in Wednesday's 4-0 victory over Oakland and is 28-for-72 during his career-best 16-game hitting streak. Nelson Cruz drove in the other two runs for the Mariners without recording a hit and leads the American League with 36 RBIs. The White Sox suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels - including Wednesday's 12-8 loss - to start a 10-game road trip. Chicago's Jose Abreu, who has hit all seven of his home runs this season on the road, belted a two-run shot in the latest setback.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Covey (0-3, 7.98 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Sam Gaviglio (0-0, 4.50)
Covey did not factor in the decision in his last turn, when he allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings against San Diego. The 25-year-old had worked six or more frames in just one of his six starts and opposing batters have a collective .339 batting average against him. Covey has served up nine homers in just 29 1/3 innings.
Gaviglio is making his second career major-league appearance but is starting for the first time. He struck out four in two innings of relief against Toronto on May 11 while allowing one run and two hits in his debut. Gaviglio, who turns 27 on Monday, becomes the 10th different starter Seattle has used already this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners C Tuffy Gosewisch struck out in all six of his at-bats in the Oakland series and is 1-for-21 with 12 strikeouts in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma.
2. Chicago RF Avisail Garcia is 5-for-10 with three RBIs over his last two contests to raise his batting average to .348.
3. Seattle recalled RHP Casey Lawrence from Tacoma and optioned RHP Chase De Jong to the same club.