Chicago @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2016 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Detroit 8

The Detroit Tigers are battling to stay in the American League wild card race and have put themselves right on the doorstep of the No. 2 spot. The Tigers will try to pull off a sweep of the three-game series and keep the pressure on the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox in the wild card chase when they host the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tigers got an eighth-inning, two-run blast from Jarrod Saltalamacchia in Monday’s 4-3 win and overcame an early 3-0 deficit in pounding out an 8-4 triumph on Tuesday that kept the team within one game of the Orioles for the second wild card and two games back of the wild-card leading Red Sox. Detroit is keeping an eye on the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians as well and are 4 1/2 behind in the division after winning seven of its last nine games. The White Sox have lost five of their last six road games to fall to 28-39 away from home. Chicago has been let down by its bullpen in each of the first two games of the series and watched Matt Albers squander the lead on Tuesday.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (15-7, 3.14 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (14-7, 3.33)

Sale is coming off a tough-luck loss against Seattle on Friday in which he struck out 14 and did not walk a batter while allowing three runs and five hits in a complete game. The Florida native went eight scoreless innings in his previous start and allowed three or fewer runs in six of his seven starts since the All-Star break. Sale struck out 10 and yielded two runs in eight innings at Detroit on Aug. 3 but came away with a loss in a 2-1 final.

Verlander is enjoying a string of nine straight quality starts and picked up the win in the last two while surrendering a total of three runs and seven hits in 13 2/3 innings. The former MVP has not allowed more than three earned runs in an outing since June 26. Verlander yielded two runs in seven innings to earn a win over Chicago on June 5 and improve to 19-13 with a 3.91 ERA in 37 career starts against the White Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers INF JaCoby Jones went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his major-league debut on Tuesday.

2. Chicago 3B Todd Frazier hit his 33rd home run on Tuesday and is two shy of tying his career high.

3. Detroit CF Cameron Maybin (thumb) underwent an MRI on Tuesday and remains day-to-day.

PREDICTION: White Sox 2, Tigers 1