Arizona @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( May 9, 2014 ) Arizona 3, Chi. White Sox 9

Rookie Jose Abreu, who has taken baseball by storm, looks for another strong performance when his Chicago White Sox host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Abreu hit his major league-leading 13th homer in Friday’s series-opening 9-3 win and added a run-scoring single to raise his American League-best RBI total to 37. The White Sox collected 15 hits in the opener while dropping the struggling Diamondbacks to 12 games below .500.

Abreu isn’t the only Cuban swinging a hot bat for Chicago as Alexei Ramirez belted a grand slam and a triple Friday to raise his AL-leading batting average to .342. Arizona has the worst record in the National League but was showing progress with five wins in seven games prior to falling in the opener of the three-game set. The Diamondbacks have the worst run differential (minus-68) in the majors, and Friday’s setback marked the sixth time this season they have allowed nine or more runs in a game.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN (Arizona), CSN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (2-3, 5.14 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.56)

Miley last won on April 6, as he is 0-2 with three no-decisions since that victory. He wasn’t involved in the decision in his last turn against San Diego when he gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings. Miley has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of his eight starts.

Quintana is coming off a strong outing against the Chicago Cubs in which he yielded one run and one hit in seven innings. He received a no-decision in that contest and also is 0-2 over his last five starts. Quintana has given up three or fewer earned runs in six of his seven outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago bench coach Mark Parent will serve as manager Saturday as Robin Ventura departed after Friday’s game to attend the college graduation of his daughter Rachel, who attended Oklahoma State.

2. Diamondbacks RF Gerardo Parra hit a two-run homer in the opener to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

3. Abreu (ankle) is slated to serve as the designated hitter for the second straight game Saturday.

PREDICTION: White Sox 8, Diamondbacks 7