Detroit @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 3, Detroit 6

The Chicago White Sox can start planning for 2011 after a horrendous series with the Minnesota Twins.

After being tied with Minnesota for the American League Central lead on Aug. 11, the Sox entered Monday’s three-game series six games back and in need of a sweep. However, Minnesota continued its dominance over the Chicago by sweeping the series by a combined 26-11 score to open a nine-game lead with 16 games remaining.

With just about every chance of making the postseason gone, the White Sox continue a 10-game homestand when they host the Detroit Tigers in the first of three games on Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Twins took 13 of the 18 games between the clubs this season, including seven of nine since Aug 11. In Thursday’s series finale, Paul Konerko belted his 37th homer of the season, while A.J. Pierzyinski and Alexi Ramirez also homered, but Mark Buehrle was tagged for six runs and eight hits – including Delmon Young’s 18th homer - in five frames.

Edwin Jackson (3-1, 2.94 ERA), one of the players Chicago acquired at the trade deadline for the stretch drive, will take the mound against the Tigers seeking to end a 11-game stretch in which Sox starters have gone a combined 0-7 with a 7.08 ERA.

After going 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA with eight walks and 45 strikeouts in his first five outings with Chicago, including becoming just the third pitcher in franchise history to post three consecutive double-digit strikeout games, Jackson has been touched for 10 runs in 12 1/3 innings in his last two starts.

The 27-year-old was beaten 8-2 by Kansas City last Saturday, surrendering six runs and 13 hits in five innings. Jackson was 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA in 21 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks before joining the White Six. The 13-game winner for the Tigers last season is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances against his former club.

Detroit enters having lost four of six and will send resurgent Max Scherzer to the mound. After starting the season 1-4 with a 7.29 ERA in his first eight outings and being sent to the minors for two weeks, the 26-year-old has been one of the best pitchers in the American League.

Scherzer is 9-6 with an exceptional 2.44 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 133 innings over his last 20 games. He had five outings in that stretch in which he allowed two runs or less, but either lost or was not involved in the decision.

Scherzer, however, is coming off one of his worst outings of that stretch. The power pitcher was tagged for a season-high 12 hits and four runs in six innings in a 5-3 loss to Baltimore last Saturday.

Against Chicago this season, Scherzer is 0-1 with a 3.74 ERA.

Chicago leads the season series 8-7, powered by Paul Konerko, who is batting .391 against the Tigers.