Chicago @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2018 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Detroit 7

The Detroit Tigers and Nicholas Castellanos try to continue their dominance of the Chicago White Sox when the American League Central teams reconvene for the second contest of their four-game series Friday at Comerica Park. Detroit improved to 10-3 versus Chicago this season with a 7-2 victory Thursday as Castellanos, the reigning AL Player of the Week, belted a solo home run among his two hits.

Castellanos (.293, 19 home runs, 71 RBIs), who leads the Tigers (53-75) in every major offensive category, is batting .400 in 55 at-bats with five home runs and 17 RBIs versus the White Sox this season. Chicago (48-79), which is 7-6 in a stretch of 16 straight games versus the American League Central, homered in its 15th straight game Thursday -- its longest run since 2012. Detroit's Michael Fulmer returns from the disabled list to make his first start since July 14 and opposes Reynaldo Lopez, who has struggled in his last two outings. White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing is expected to continue managing the club for a fifth straight game Friday as Rick Renteria returned to Chicago on Thursday to undergo more tests for lightheadedness, which landed him in a Minneapolis hospital Monday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (4-9, 4.72 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (3-9, 4.50)

Lopez hasn't earned a decision in four August starts after allowing six runs, six hits and a walk while striking out five in two innings of Chicago's 7-6 victory over Kansas City on Sunday. The 24-year-old Dominican, who yielded four runs in five innings in a 9-5 loss at Detroit on Aug. 13, began the month by permitting three runs over a pair of seven-inning starts -- a loss to the New York Yankees on Aug. 7 and a win over the Royals on Aug. 2. James McCann is 7-for-11 and Castellanos is 7-for-15 with two doubles versus Lopez, who is 1-1 with a 3.66 ERA in five starts versus the Tigers -- 0-1, 3.24 in four outings this season.

Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said Fulmer will be limited to around 70 pitches Friday as he returns from a left oblique strain. "He feels great," Gardenhire said of the 25-year-old Oklahoman. "Everything's went great. He's passed all the tests. That's the right thing to do with him." Tim Anderson and Avisail Garcia are a combined 4-for-31 against Fulmer, who is 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA in six starts against the White Sox after winning at Chicago 6-1 on April 7 when he tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit rookie 2B Ronny Rodriguez (.211, 10 RBIs -- six in his last four games) hit his first career home run Thursday as part of a two-hit performance that extended his hitting career-high hitting streak to eight games (9-for-27).

2. Chicago has struck out a major league-most 1,222 times this season and is on pace to shatter the club record of 1,397 set last season.

3. Detroit CF JaCoby Jones (.204, eight home runs, 26 RBIs), who was placed on the 10-day disabled list Aug. 13 with a right hamstring injury, begins a three-game rehabilitation stint Friday with Triple-A Toledo.

PREDICTION: Tigers 6, White Sox 5