Chicago @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2016 ) Chi. White Sox 8, Miami 7

The Miami Marlins had a chance to gain some separation in the race for a wild card spot in the National League but are struggling to find wins on their homestand. The Marlins will try to avoid a three-game sweep to a sub-.500 team when they host the Chicago White Sox in the finale of an interleague series on Sunday.

Miami began its six-game homestand by dropping two of three to the San Francisco Giants and followed with two straight losses to the White Sox, including squandering a pair of leads in Saturday’s 8-7 setback. That loss, combined with St. Louis’ win over Chicago on Saturday, dropped the Marlins a half-game behind the Cardinals in the race for the second NL wild card, with Pittsburgh and New York Mets still close behind. The White Sox are not in the playoff hunt but have a chance to impact the race in both leagues with this series against Miami and a three-game set at AL Central-leading Cleveland beginning on Tuesday. Chicago pushed across the go-ahead run on Saturday on a strikeout-wild pitch and managed to overcome starter James Shields allowing seven runs in three-plus innings.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (14-5, 3.16 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.83)

Sale allowed three or fewer runs in each of his four starts since the All-Star break but did not receive enough run support to come out with a win in any of those outings. The All-Star scattered three runs and seven hits across seven innings on Tuesday but the bullpen squandered a lead in a game Chicago went on to win 7-5 at Kansas City. Sale is making his first career start against Miami and is 6-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 21 career interleague games – 13 starts.

Koehler surrendered one or no earned runs in each of his last four turns and is coming off a gem against San Francisco on Tuesday. The 30-year-old scattered two hits and three walks over seven scoreless innings and struck out six in the win. Koehler is seeing the White Sox for the first time since May 24, 2013, and is 6-6 with a 4.82 ERA in 15 career interleague starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox 2B Brett Lawrie (hamstring) went 2-for-3 with a double in the first game of his rehab assignment at Double-A Birmingham on Saturday.

2. Miami CF Marcell Ozuna is 1-for-28 over his last eight games.

3. Chicago RHP David Robertson earned the save in each of the first two games in the series after blowing a pair of opportunities at Kansas City earlier in the week.

PREDICTION: White Sox 5, Marlins 4