Chicago @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2019 ) Chi. White Sox 10, Detroit 1

The Chicago White Sox have already clinched a seventh straight losing season, but some of their young bats give them hope for the future. Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and others will try to lead the White Sox to a third straight win when they continue a three-game series at the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Moncada (age 24) went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and two runs scored while Jimenez (22) was 3-for-4 with his second grand slam in a 10-game span in Friday's 10-1 win, while American League batting leader Tim Anderson (26) went 2-for-5 to leave his average at .336. Moncada is a scorching 18-for-36 with seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak and Jimenez is 20-for-47 with five homers and 17 RBIs in an 11-game hitting streak for Chicago, which has 49 hits over its last three games. It will attempt to stay hot at the plate against Tigers left-hander Tyler Alexander, who starts Saturday opposite Ivan Nova for the White Sox. Detroit suffered its 108th loss Friday, one shy of matching the second-highest total in franchise history.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Chicago, FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Ivan Nova (10-12, 4.83 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Tyler Alexander (1-3, 4.87)

Nova worked just one inning as an opener Wednesday in Minnesota, which came three days after he was rocked for five runs in 3 1/3 innings at Seattle. He had an impressive five-game winning streak after the All-Star break that included eight scoreless innings in a win at Detroit on Aug. 7. That left the 32-year-old with a 1-3 record and a 5.97 ERA in his career at Comerica Park.

Alexander made his first start in over a month Monday against Baltimore, limiting the Orioles to one run in six innings to pick up his first career win. He has a 4.45 ERA in six starts while posting 27 strikeouts and just three walks in 32 1/3 innings. The TCU product faced the White Sox twice earlier in the year and gave up a total of six earned runs and 14 hits in 9 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago has nine wins in 13 meetings with Detroit and needs one more victory to clinch the season series for just the second time since 2008.

2. White Sox RF Daniel Palka had three hits Friday after going 2-for-64 through his first 23 games.

3. Tigers DH Miguel Cabrera had an RBI single to account for Detroit's only run in the series opener, pulling him into a tie with George Sisler (2,812) for 51st on baseball's all-time hit list.

PREDICTION: White Sox 6, Tigers 4