• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Wakefield shoots for 200th career win in battle with White Sox

Jul 29, 2011 - 3:00 PM (Sports Network) - Tim Wakefield eyes career win No. 200 this evening when the Boston Red Sox open a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

Wakefield moved within one win of the milestone with a victory over Seattle on Sunday, despite an awful outing that saw him allow seven runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings. Nonetheless he improved to 6-3 on the year to go along with a 5.15 earned run average.

"I've been fortunate this year to pitch as well as I have," said Wakefield, who has allowed 14 runs (10 earned) over his last two starts. "The last couple [starts] haven't been that great, but they've been good enough. I'm fortunate to be on a great team, and I've been able to get some wins here and there."

Wakefield, in his 19th big league season, has faced the White Sox 33 times (22 starts) and is 7-12 against them with a 4.97 ERA. However, he hasn't beaten them since 2007.

Boston lost for only the second time in its last eight games on Thursday, falling to the Kansas City Royals, 4-3. Dustin Pedroia homered in the eighth inning to extend his career-best hit streak to 25 games for the Red Sox, who still own a 2 1/2-game edge on the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.

Chicago, meanwhile, helped its own division title hopes this week, taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers to pull within three games of the AL Central lead.

The White Sox snatched a series win on Wednesday, eking out a 2-1 win over the Tigers. John Danks (4-8) allowed just one run on six hits and three walks while tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts over six-plus innings in that one, while Alejandro De Aza, who was called up from Triple-A Charlotte prior to the game to play in place of the struggling Alex Rios, belted a two-run homer in his first major-league at-bat of the season.

"After the third inning he was fighting through it, but this kid went out there and he pitched with his heart," manager Ozzie Guillen said of Danks.

Sergio Santos recorded the game's final out to notch his 21st save of the season, as the White Sox won for the fourth time in five games.

Tonight, Chicago will pin its hopes on righty Gavin Floyd, who has won his last two starts. Floyd was magnificent last Friday in Cleveland, as he held the Indians scoreless over 7 2/3 innings to run his record to 8-9, while lowering his ERA to 4.11.

Floyd could continue his success tonight against the Red Sox. He beat them earlier in the year and is 5-0 with a 3.83 ERA in seven games (six starts) against them.

The White Sox swept a three-game set from the Red Sox earlier in the year and have won 13 of the last 15 meetings.