Oakland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2016 ) Oakland 9, Chi. White Sox 0

Chris Sale's dominating start to the season has given way to a six-start winless stretch, and the ace looks to get back into the victory column when the Chicago White Sox host the Oakland Athletics on Saturday in the second contest of their three-game series. Sale has dropped his last four decisions and hasn't recorded a victory since July 2.

Sale started the All-Star Game for the American League but has posted a 4.43 ERA during his drought. The mark would be even higher if not for the fact he tossed eight scoreless innings against Seattle on July 18, and he is aware the drop-off leads to scrutiny. "When I don't go out there and win a ballgame, I don't care whether it was this or that - I didn't get the job done," Sale told reporters. "We hold ourselves to those standards as well." Oakland rolled to a 9-0 victory in the series opener to snap a five-game losing streak as Khris Davis, Stephen Vogt and Yonder Alonzo all homered against struggling White Sox starter James Shields.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN California, WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Ross Detwiler (1-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (14-6, 3.30)

Detwiler will be making his third start for Oakland after recently being acquired from Cleveland. He excelled with eight scoreless innings in a triumph over Baltimore in his team debut before being touched for five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 frames of a loss to Texas in his last turn. Detwiler has struggled with Melky Cabrera (3-for-5) and Todd Frazier (3-for-7, one homer).

Sale is on pace for his fourth consecutive 200-strikeout season but won't come close to last year's career-best 274 as he enters Saturday's outing with 157. But he has a solid chance of surpassing his career high for wins (17 in 2012), and manager Robin Ventura points out that he's really fresh with one-fourth of the season to go. "Since he's been starting, this is the best and as strong as he's been later in the season than I've seen him any time," Ventura told reporters. "There hasn't been that stretch where, in the past few years, he has definitely needed time off or the velocity has really tailed off."

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics INF/OF Danny Valencia has strung together five straight two-hit performances and is 10-for-21 during the stretch.

2. Frazier, who is tied for third in the majors with 31 homers, was hitless in the opener and is just 6-for-43 with one blast over his last 11 games.

3. Davis, who also has belted 31 home runs, has gone deep four times in his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Athletics 8, White Sox 4