Sunday's streaking and slumping pitchers
By JUSTIN BANKS
Streaking
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (14-5, 3.23)
It didn’t take Lester long to capture the hearts of Red Sox Nation with his compelling story and his spectacular 14-5 record have made him an icon in New England.
Lester is 2-0 and has a 0.93 ERA in his last three starts and is 7-2 in his last 10. He has surrendered just three earned runs in his last 18.2 IP and has struck out 22 batters in that period and 56 in his last 10 overall.
The Red Sox are 8-3 in their last 11 against the AL East and are 12-5 in their last 17 overall.
Slumping
Anibal Sanchez, Florida Marlins (2-4, 6.46)
Sanchez has just two triumphs in eight starts and is 0-2 in his last three. He has surrendered 11 earned runs in his last four innings of work.
Sanchez, who has made just 14 total starts the last two campaigns, is a respectable 2-1 at Dolphin Stadium but has a shaky 5.14 ERA in those outings.
The Fish are 2-5 in their last seven Sunday showdowns.
Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers (10-15, 4.78)
Verlander is winless in his last three starts and has just three wins in his last 10. He is 1-4 this season against the Chicago White Sox.
Verlander struggled in his last road start, a 6-4 setback to the Minnesota Twins. He relinquished four earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 IP. He is winless all-time at Chicago’s
U.S. Cellular Field.
Sunday Night Baseball: Tigers at White Sox
Zach Miner and Javier Vazquez will go head-to-head for the third time this season when the Chicago White Sox host the Detroit Tigers in the final game of their three-game weekend series on Sunday night.
Miner (8-4, 4.29 ERA) and the Tigers have cashed against Vazquez (11-13, 4.29 ERA) and the White Sox in both matchups, including an 8-3 triumph the last time the teams met on August 7. Miner allowed only one earned run over six innings to earn the win for the Tigers, who went to the bank as +117 road underdogs.
Miguel Cabrera was the difference for bettors at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a homer and three runs batted in for Detroit. Magglio Ordonez added two RBIs for the Tigers, while Carlos Quentin went deep for Chicago.
Vazquez gave up five runs over seven innings to take the loss for the ChiSox, who lead the season series 9-6. The righthander was also the losing pitcher in Chicago's 6-4 defeat at the hands of Miner and Detroit on July 27. Miner gave up two runs over six innings to get the victory as -109 home favorites, while Vazquez was tagged for six runs over seven innings on the night.
The two losses to Miner doesn't account for all of Vazquez's action against the Tigers this season. Vazquez surrendered five runs over six innings to take the loss in Chicago's 5-1 defeat to Detroit on June 11, as the Tigers cashed as -108 home faves.
Vazquez's lone victory in four starts against Detroit came all the way back on April 13 at U.S. Cellular Field. The hard-throwing righty tossed seven scoreless innings to earn the win in the White Sox' 11-0 drubbing of the Tigers as -137 favorites. On the season, the ChiSox are 1-3 against the moneyline in Vazquez's four starts against the Tigers, as the over went 2-1-1.
Both teams head into the game with some injuries. Detroit's Carlos Guillen is out indefinitely with lower back spasms and inflammation, while relievers Todd Jones and Joel Zumaya remain on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder and arm ailments, respectively.
The White Sox could be without Paul Konerko, who is day-to-day with a sprained MCL in his right knee. On top of Konerko's absence, Chicago will take the field without both Carlos Quentin and Joe Crede. Quentin might miss the rest of the season with a fractured wrist, while Crede is out indefinitely with tightness in his lower back.