Detroit @ Chicago preview

Detroit at Chi. White Sox

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2010 ) Detroit 6, Chi. White Sox 3

A September homestand is supposed to invigorate a team in postseason contention. This one buried the Chicago White Sox.

The White Sox conclude a six-game stand at U.S. Cellular Field when they close out a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.

Chicago was swept three games at home earlier this week by the Minnesota Twins to drop nine games off the American League Central lead after being tied for the top spot on Aug. 11. After falling 9-2 to Detroit on Friday's great mound performance by Max Scherzer, Chicago was beaten 6-3 on Justin Verlander’s third complete game of the season on Saturday.

Now the White Sox find themselves 10 games behind the Twins with 14 to play.

Chicago will start John Danks (13-11, 3.60 ERA) tonight. Danks, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 20 of his 29 starts this season, has struggled lately. The left-hander is 1-3 with a 5.55 ERA in his last four starts to match the struggles of the entire rotation. The starters are 0-8 in their last 13 games with an ERA approaching 7.00 as the White Sox have lost nine of those games.

Danks lost to the Twins 9-3 last Tuesday, allowing four runs and nine hits in seven innings. He is 3-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 10 career starts against Detroit and 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA at home.

Detroit, which unlike Chicago is getting great starting pitching, will throw Jeremy Bonderman in the series finale. Detroit’s starters are 14-3 with a 2.99 ERA in their last 27 starts.

After recording double-digit win totals in four straight seasons, Bonderman (8-9, 5.04 ERA), who is a free agent at season’s end, won just three times in 2008-09 because of arm injuries. The 27-year-old has returned to health this season and, though he hasn’t completely returned to form, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA in his last four starts.

With a tough assignment in his last start at Texas on Wednesday, Bonderman yielded three earned runs in five frames in a no-decision in the Rangers’ 12-6 victory. Bonderman has not fared well on the road this season, going 2-5 with a 6.52 ERA in 12 starts.

The former first-round pick of the Oakland A’s is 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three starts against the White Sox this season and 7-11 with a 4.55 ERA in 19 starts all-time.