Cleveland @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2010 ) Cleveland 3, Chi. White Sox 1
If the Chicago White Sox haven't hit bottom yet, getting swept at home by the Cleveland Indians could turn the trick.
And that could happen today.
The teams complete a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field. In taking the first two games, the Indians, losers of 13 of 17 when they hit town, won back-to-back games for the first time since May 15-16.
The Indians, with a roster filled with young players and injuries to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore, have struggled all season. Despite being near the bottom of the American League Central all season, Cleveland has dominated Chicago, going 8-3 against the White Sox.
The White Sox are 1-4 on a homestand that manager Ozzie Guillen labeled as critical at the beginning of the week. Chicago lost two of three to Texas and needed a comeback win to salvage one game of that series.
How bad have things been for the White Sox? They can't even depend on Mark Buehrle anymore.
When Buehrle won his first two starts, it looked it would be business as usual for one of the most reliable pitchers in the game the last decade, but the left-hander has struggled since. Not only have wins been scarce, he hasn't been able to pitch deep into games, which has always been his trademark.
Buehrle has won only once in his last nine starts and had gone six innings or less in six of those starts. He was masterful in his one victory when he pitched eight scoreless innings against Florida on May 21.
Other than that, Buehrle hasn't found any consistency. He has allowed 77 hits in 67 innings and opponents are batting .294 against him.
Buehrle's last start typifies his season. He gave up six runs and 12 hits in 5 1-3 innings in a loss to Texas. Five of those runs came in the sixth inning.
Indians right-hander Jake Westbrook is coming off his best outing since elbow surgery two years ago. He beat Detroit, allowing one run, five hits and one walk in 7 2-3 innings.
Buehrle and Westbrook met on Opening Day in Chicago. Buehrle pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-0 win. Buehrle has a loss and a no-decision in his two other starts against the Indians. He was ejected in the third inning by umpire Joe West for arguing a balk call on May 26.
Westbrook is 0-2 in three starts against the White Sox, allowing 12 runs in 18 innings.