• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

White Sox-Tigers Preview

Sep 8, 2010 - 4:26 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (77-60) at Detroit (68-70), 7:05 p.m. EDT

A growing injury list is the last thing the Chicago White Sox need while trying to remain in postseason contention.

Coming off their first loss in September, the White Sox could be without slugger Manny Ramirez when they continue a four-game set with the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.

With All-Star Paul Konerko (back) and second baseman Gordon Beckham (hand) already out of the lineup, starter Freddy Garcia left after two innings with a stiff back and Ramirez exited in the eighth when he was hit on the hand with a pitch in Chicago's 9-1 loss to Detroit on Tuesday.

While Konerko - the team leader with 33 home runs - could return from a three-game absence Wednesday, Beckham is likely to miss the rest of the series. It's uncertain if Ramirez will be in the lineup for the White Sox (77-61), who fell 4 1/2 games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central.

Ramirez is 7 for 18 but without a homer or RBI in six games since being claimed off waivers from Los Angeles.

"I think Manny is going to be OK, but we'll have to see (Wednesday)," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The ball hit mostly meat, so he should be fine."

A.J. Pierzynski went 2 for 3 as the White Sox had their seven-game winning streak snapped and fell to 7-1 on a 10-game trip. The Chicago catcher is batting .424 during a 14-game hitting streak.

Pitching on three days' rest, John Danks (13-9, 3.56 ERA) tries to win his second straight start when he takes the mound for the White Sox. The left-hander allowed one run and struck out five in seven innings of a 3-1 victory over Boston in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.

"We're going to watch him very close," Guillen told the White Sox official website. "Everybody right now in the bullpen is ready (to help)."

Danks is 3-3 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts versus Detroit. He was strong in last outing against the Tigers, allowing one hit over seven innings of a 3-0 win June 10.

Detroit counters with Jeremy Bonderman (7-9, 5.25), who is 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA against the White Sox this season.

Though the right-hander allowed six runs in six innings of an 8-4 road loss to Chicago on Aug. 13, he held the White Sox to one run over 6 2-3 innings of a 7-1 win at Comerica Park 10 days earlier.

Bonderman gave up four runs and five walks in 7 1-3 innings of a 9-5, 11-inning win at Kansas City on Friday.

Detroit's Miguel Cabrera is day-to-day after he aggravated his sore shoulder Tuesday. The star first baseman is among the AL leaders in batting average (.333), home runs (33) and RBIs (110).

"It hurts when I swing," said Cabrera, who has been dealing with the problem for the last week. "It doesn't feel right."

Brandon Inge hit a three-run homer and Johnny Damon added a two-run shot Tuesday as the Tigers (69-70) avoided a third straight loss and improved to 5-8 in the season series.

Damon is 8 for 18 with five RBIs in his last four games against the White Sox.