Double Bill
With a tough upcoming schedule and only a small lead in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox hope the unexpected off day gives them some needed rest while cooling off their red-hot opponent.
Chicago and the Toronto Blue Jays begin a four-game series with a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday after rain postponed the scheduled opener.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Chicago -120 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9.5 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 74% of bets for this game have been placed on Chicago -120 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
The White Sox (80-62) begin the series 2 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central. Chicago plays its next seven at home, including a three-game series against Detroit this weekend before beginning a 10-game, 11-day road trip against the New York Yankees, Kansas City and Minnesota. The White Sox close the season at home against Cleveland.
"You look at the schedule, look for breaks here and there," manager Ozzie Guillen said Monday. "There’s not any breaks."
Guillen’s team took two of three over the weekend against the Los Angeles Angels, falling 3-2 on Sunday to snap a three-game winning streak. They now face a Blue Jays (76-66) team that has won eight straight and is coming off a three-game sweep over AL East-leading Tampa Bay with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.
Toronto hasn’t won nine games in a row since reeling off 11 straight Aug. 27-Sept. 7, 1998.
The Blue Jays have also had little trouble with the White Sox this season, as they swept a four-game home series from them May 2-5. Toronto has not won five straight over Chicago in a single season since winning seven in a row May 28-Sept. 6, 1989.
The Blue Jays outscored the White Sox 12-5 in their series in May, posting two shutouts.
Both teams will use Monday’s scheduled starters in the first game of the doubleheader. Toronto will turn to A.J Burnett (16-10, 4.47 ERA).
Burnett allowed three runs and six hits with eight strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of 5-4, 11-inning win over the Twins on Wednesday, and is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA in his last three starts after posting a 3.35 ERA in winning his previous six outings.
Although he didn’t get the win his last time out, Burnett increased his AL-best strikeout total to 201. He is two strikeouts shy of matching his career high set in 2002.
The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox.
Chicago counters with Javier Vazquez (11-12, 4.34), who gave up two runs and five hits in six innings of a 4-2 win over Cleveland on Wednesday to snap a two-start losing streak.
Vazquez has pitched well at home lately, but he has not received much help from his offense. In his last five starts at U.S. Cellular Field, Vazquez is 1-4 with a 3.55 ERA, as he’s been backed by eight total runs of support in those four losses.
Vazquez also pitched well in his only start of the season against Toronto on May 5, but again didn’t get much help. At Rogers Centre, the right-hander allowed one run and eight hits with nine strikeouts in 7 2-3 innings of a 1-0 loss. He is 2-2 with a 1.15 ERA in his last four starts versus the Blue Jays.
Clayton Richard (2-3, 6.39) takes the mound for the White Sox in the second game in his seventh major league start. On Sept. 1, he allowed four runs – three earned – and seven hits in four innings of a 5-0 loss to the Indians.
The 24-year-old left-hander has never faced the Blue Jays.
Jesse Litsch (10-8, 3.76) counters for Toronto in the nightcap. Litsch is 2-1 with a 0.94 ERA in four starts. He pitched his second complete game of the season on Thursday against the Twins, allowing four hits in a 9-0 win.
Litsch has lost his last five decisions on the road, though, and the Blue Jays have lost his last seven road starts. On May 3, the 23-year-old right-hander made his only start against the White Sox, allowing two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings to earn a 5-2 win.
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