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White Sox-Tigers Preview

Aug 4, 2010 - 3:54 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (59-45) at Detroit (52-52), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Chicago White Sox acquired Edwin Jackson to help solidify their starting rotation as they make a push for the postseason. He'll begin that trek against one of his former teams.

Jackson makes his White Sox debut hoping to avoid a fifth straight loss Wednesday night against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Looking to fill the void after Jake Peavy suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, general manager Kenny Williams acquired the veteran Jackson from Arizona for rookie pitcher Daniel Hudson and prospect David Holmberg on Friday.

Chicago (60-46) has a 1 1/2-game lead over Minnesota in the AL Central after splitting a day-night doubleheader with the Tigers on Tuesday.

"When you're contending, you want more certainty as to how you're going to be able to shape up in your rotation," Williams told the White Sox's official website.

Coming off an All-Star 2009 season in which he went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA for Detroit, Jackson was 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA for the Diamondbacks this year. The 27-year-old threw a 149-pitch no-hitter against Tampa Bay on June 25, but issued eight walks.

Jackson, who has walked 60 in 134 1-3 innings, has a 7.25 ERA while losing his last four starts. The right-hander hopes coming to a contender will help turn things around.

"It's a great group of guys," Jackson said. "I'm excited to be here and to be able to be thrown in the mix and make a playoff run."

He is 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in three starts against the Tigers. That win came after Jackson allowed four runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 6-5 win at Comerica on June 19.

The White Sox won 12-2 to open Monday's doubleheader, but fell 7-1 in the nightcap as the Tigers (53-53) won for the fifth time in 21 games. Detroit, which led the division July 10, is seven games behind Chicago.

"When you get your butts kicked in, nobody wants to let it happen again," said Detroit's Brennan Boesch, who had two RBIs in the second game.

Alexei Ramirez went 5 for 9 with two RBIs on Monday. The White Sox shortstop is 19 for 40 in his last 10 games, and batting .364 against the Tigers in 2010.

Paul Konerko homered for the fifth time in nine games Monday for the White Sox, who have won seven of nine.

Though Konerko has not homered off Detroit's scheduled starter Armando Galarraga (3-3, 4.28), he is 4 for 8 with two doubles against the right-hander. Galarraga appears ready to pitch after being hit by a line drive on his ankle in a 6-5 win at Boston on Friday.

"He was checked out by the doctors and there was no broken bone," Detroit manager Jim Leyland.

Galarraga allowed a run in 4 2-3 innings of that contest, but is 0-2 with a 5.16 ERA in five starts since beating the New York Mets on June 24.

The right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA in four starts against the White Sox. He gave up two runs in five innings, but did not factor in the decision of a 7-2 win at Chicago on June 8.

Following a three-game absence due to a sore back, Detroit's Johnny Damon had three hits with two RBIs in the second game after going 0 for 4 in the opener. He is 7 for 21 in his last five games.