(Sports Network) - Talk about getting thrown into the fire.
Chicago White Sox starter Gavin Floyd will come off the disabled list in time
to start Wednesday's third installment of a pivotal four-game series versus
the Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sidelined since Aug. 27 because of a right elbow strain, Floyd pitched the day
before in a 4-3 win over Seattle. He did not record a decision and lasted only
two innings, allowing one run and three hits with a walk and a strikeout.
"Obviously, I wanted to go back out (for the third), but it's one of those
things that it can get worse," Floyd said afterward. "It kind of started
bothering me a little bit in the first inning, late in the first. And then the
second inning, it really started to kind of affect me. I felt it every time I
threw a breaking pitch or even a fastball a little bit."
Floyd threw three bullpen sessions and is taking over for scheduled starter
Francisco Liriano. Liriano has struggled a bit in his time with the White Sox
and will be available out of the bullpen. Floyd is 1-1 with a 4.91 earned run
average in his last six starts and 1-0 in two outings against Detroit this
season. He has faced the Tigers 19 times in his career and is a solid 7-2 with
a 3.42 ERA.
The Tigers evened this set with Tuesday's 5-3 win and rebounded from a 6-1
setback in the series opener. Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera both homered
and Doug Fister limited the Pale Hose to two runs in seven innings. Joaquin
Benoit allowed a run in the eighth, before Jose Valverde picked up his 29th
save with a scoreless ninth inning.
"Tonight was a good night," Fister said. "Defense played tremendous back there
and that was the name of the game. They stuck with me, stuck behind me, and
played well."
Detroit ended a four-game losing streak and won for just the second time in
its last eight tries. It is now two games behind the White Sox for the top
spot in the American League Central division and 11-5 in the season series.
Max Scherzer draws the start for the Tigers Wednesday and is 5-0 with a 1.88
ERA in his last seven games. The Tigers are 6-1 in that time, but dropped a
3-2 decision at Angel Stadium last Friday. Scherzer did not figure into the
decision of that one and fanned nine batters over eight innings, allowing two
runs and walking none.
Scherzer, who has struck out nine batters in three straight outings, is 15-6
with a 3.85 ERA in 28 starts this season. He has faced the White Sox four
times this season, going 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA, and is 4-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 12
lifetime appearances -- all starts -- against them.
DeWayne Wise and Gordon Beckham each belted a home run for Chicago in last
night's loss and starter Jake Peavy fell to 10-11 on the season. Peavy was
reached for all three runs in the fifth inning and struck out nine. He lasted
5 2/3 innings on the night.
"I think that one inning he just left a couple in there," White Sox manager
Robin Ventura said of Peavy in the fifth. "For me, that was the mistakes."
The White Sox have alternated wins and losses in their last nine tries and
haven't won consecutive games since a six-game winning streak from Aug. 20-26.
The Sports Network