The Detroit Tigers will try to add to the recent misery of the Chicago White Sox when the AL Central foes clash Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at US Cellular Field.
The Tigers have won two in a row and six of their last nine games, while the White Sox are mired in a five-game losing streak.
Detroit split a four-game set with the Kansas City Royals this weekend and posted a 6-4 victory in Sunday's series finale. Anibal Sanchez took a perfect game into the sixth inning and improved to 6-2 against Kansas City after allowing three runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings.
Sanchez had not allowed more than one run in each of his previous seven starts versus the Royals.
"I guess I just know them really well," Sanchez said of the Royals. "We'll see. I face them again in my next start."
Alex Avila knocked in three runs and Miguel Cabrera finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Tigers. Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias left in the sixth inning with tightness in his left groin and is day-to-day.
Shane Greene is slated to take the mound for the Tigers Tuesday and is enjoying his new digs as evidenced by a 3-1 mark and 4.60 earned run average in five starts. Greene is 0-1 in the last two outings after winning his first three and did not post a decision in last Wednesday's 10-7 win over Minnesota.
Greene was touched for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings and struck out eight batters with no walks. He has permitted 15 runs in his past two appearances and threw seven innings of one-run ball against the White Sox on April 19. Greene is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against Chicago.
The White Sox lost all four games with the Twins over the weekend and Sunday's 13-3 drubbing in the series finale made it five losses in a row.
Minnesota banged out 19 hits and roughed up White Sox starter John Danks to the tune of seven runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in only 2 1/3 innings.
Avisail Garcia went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to highlight the Chicago offense. Geovany Soto and Micah Johnson had an RBI apiece.
"I don't think there was anything we were good at today. We have to check ourselves and get back after it," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
Jeff Samardzija will try to pitch Ventura's club back on track when he takes the mound Tuesday. Samardzija is 1-2 with a 4.78 ERA in five starts with his new team and was pounded at Baltimore last Wednesday in an 8-2 setback, charged with eight runs -- seven earned -- and 10 hits in five innings.
Samardzija threw six shutout innings in his previous start against Cleveland on April 22 and tossed eight innings of one-run ball with seven K's at Detroit on April 17. It was the right-hander's first appearances against the Tigers and did not factor in the outcome of his team's 2-1 loss.
Chicago lost two of three meetings at Detroit from April 17-19.
[SportsNetwork.com]
