(Sports Network) – The Chicago White Sox will try to complete a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers when the two AL Central foes collide this afternoon at Comerica Park.
The White Sox will hand the ball to Phil Humber, who will take the mound looking to put his last outing well behind him. The reason for Humber’s need for a short memory is because the right-hander did not make it out of the fourth inning in a loss to Minnesota.
Humber was punished for six runs on 11 hits, and it was his second loss in his last three starts. Both of those losses came at home, but fortunately for the veteran twirler he is on the road this afternoon. Rarely does a pitcher have more success on the road than at home, but in 10 games outside of the Windy City the right-hander is 5-1 with a strong 2.83 earned run average.
This will be Humber’s first-ever start against Detroit, but the 28-year-old has made two appearances out of the bullpen against the Tigers. Humber has not allowed a run in a little over five innings of work, and has struck out five batters as well.
The Tigers will turn to Brad Penny, who snapped a five-game winless skid with a victory in his last start. The last time the big righty was on the rubber he outlasted the Angels, leading the Tigers to a 5-4 win.
Penny allowed all four runs and did so on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. Before that win, the last time Penny was on that side of tracks was back in early June when he took care of the White Sox.
That was only his second-ever start against the Pale Hose, but so far so good for the veteran hurler. In those two outings Penny has held Chicago to just three runs in 12 innings.
On Saturday, Edwin Jackson tossed a shutout to lead the White Sox past the Tigers, 5-0. The shutout was Jackson’s first since the former Tiger threw a no-hitter on June 25, 2010, as a member of the Diamondbacks.
This time, Jackson (6-7) scattered nine hits and two walks, while striking out two.
Carlos Quentin went 3-for-4 with a home run for the White Sox, who have won three of four. Juan Pierre tallied four hits, knocked in a run and stole two bases to move past Monte Ward and into sole possession of 28th place on the all-time steals list with 542 career swipes.
Max Scherzer (10-5) took the loss for the Tigers — losers in three of their last four — despite allowing just two runs on eight hits over eight innings. Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila each had two hits in defeat for Detroit, which is one game behind Cleveland for the AL Central lead.
Chicago is four games off the lead in the division.