Preview: Tigers at White Sox

[May 05, 2015]  The Detroit Tigers are back atop the American League Central as they continue their 10-game road trip on Tuesday with a three-game set against the skidding Chicago White Sox. The Tigers took the final two games in Kansas City over the weekend to salvage a four-game series split and move one-half game ahead of the Royals atop the division.

Detroit had scored only four runs in three games before posting a 6-4 victory Sunday as Miguel Cabrera collected three hits and swatted a two-run homer. The White Sox return home after a disastrous road trip that was shortened to five games because of a pair of postponemnets in riot-stricken Baltimore. Chicago has been outscored 39-10 during the 0-5 skid after getting swept in a four-game series at Minnesota, including a 13-3 thumping on Sunday. "We have to check ourselves and get back after it," White Sox manager Robin Ventura told reporters. "You can't go out there and lay an egg like that."

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Shane Greene (3-1, 4.60 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (1-2, 4.78)

Greene had the lowest ERA in the AL (0.39) following his first three turns but he was been pummeled in back-to-back starts, surrendering his first two homers of the season and giving up seven runs over 4 1/3 innings last time out in a no-decision against Minnesota. He was battered for eight runs in four-plus innings by Cleveland in his previous outing. Greene beat the White Sox on April 19 with seven innings of one-run ball.

Samardzija also absorbed a shellacking in his last start, serving up a pair of homers among 10 hits and allowing eight runs over five innings in an 8-2 loss at Baltimore. He was superb in his previous two turns, blanking Cleveland over six innings and limiting the Tigers to one run over a season-high eight innings. Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a double against Samardzija on April 17.

WALK OFFS

1. White Sox RF Avisail Garcia is riding a nine-game hitting streak and has multiple hits in five of the past seven.

2. Tigers LF Yoenis Cespedes was 5-for-12 over the past three games versus Kansas City and has hit safely in eight of his last nine contests.

3. White Sox OF Adam Eaton missed the last three games while 1B Adam LaRoche had to exit Sunday's contest due to illness.

PREDICTION: White Sox 5, Tigers 3

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