Chicago @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 5, 2016 ) Boston 7, Chi. White Sox 3

The Chicago White Sox got off to a rough start on their seven-game road trip and things are not going to get much easier. The White Sox will try to snap a three-game slide and earn their first win on the trip when they visit the Boston Red Sox for the first of four contests on Monday.

Chicago sandwiched a 13-2 loss around a pair of walk-off setbacks at Cleveland to begin the trip and dropped three games below .500 with 11 losses in the last 15 games. The White Sox have some issues with the starting pitching – particularly newcomer James Shields – but are also struggling on the offensive side with a total of six runs in the three games against the Indians. The Red Sox squeezed out a series win against the Seattle Mariners over the weekend when Mookie Betts’ solo homer provided the go-ahead run in Sunday’s 2-1 triumph. Boston is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Chicago offensively and leads the majors with 390 runs scored.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WPWR (Chicago), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Miguel Gonzalez (1-2, 4.74 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Steven Wright (8-4, 2.22)

Gonzalez allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven straight appearances before getting knocked around for seven runs on eight hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings against Detroit on Tuesday. The Mexico native lasted at least six innings in only three of his eight starts. Gonzalez spent his previous four seasons in Baltimore and has always been strong against Boston, posting a 6-1 record with a 3.27 ERA in 12 career games.

Wright is the most reliable member of the Red Sox rotation and leads the American League in ERA. The knuckleballer is riding a streak of five straight wins and yielded a total of seven earned runs in 35 2/3 innings over that span. Wright started at Chicago on May 3 and suffered a loss despite surrendering two runs and three hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox reportedly placed OF Rusney Castillo on outright waivers.

2. Chicago 3B Todd Frazier is 0-for-21 with 11 strikeouts in the last six games.

3. Betts drove in a run in each of the last three games and raised his batting average to .295 – its highest point since opening day.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, White Sox 2