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Tigers send Scherzer to mound against White Sox

May 15, 2012 - 3:04 PM (Sports Network) - Detroit Tigers starter Max Scherzer has put together decent career numbers against Chicago, but has had mixed success this season against his American League Central rivals.

Scherzer faces off against the White Sox for a third time this season, and second time opposite the resurgent Jake Peavy, in the finale of a two-game series.

The right-hander lost to the White Sox and Peavy on April 13, with Scherzer striking out a season-high 11 but giving up three runs over six innings of a 5-2 defeat. He then faced them for a second time on May 5, this time at home, and snapped a two-start losing streak by hurling seven innings of one-run ball, striking out nine in a no-decision.

"He was terrific out there today," said Detroit manager Jim Leyland. "That's the Scherzer we need and that's the Scherzer we're capable of getting every night."

The 27-year-old, who is 3-4 with a 2.39 earned run average in 10 career starts in this series, then found the win column for the first time since April 18 with a victory at Oakland on Thursday. Scherzer was charged with two runs over 6 1/3 innings, striking out nine to give him 45 over 37 2/3 frames. He is 2-3 with a 5.73 ERA in seven starts this season.

Peavy, who has struggled due to injury and hasn't won more than 10 games in a season since 2007, is 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA through seven starts and hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of those outings. The right-hander won in Cleveland on Wednesday, hurling seven innings of one-run ball.

Peavy got the best of Scherzer back on April 13, yielding two runs over 6 2/3 frames while fanning eight. He faced the Tigers again on May 4, getting a no- decision after matching a season high with three runs allowed over 7 2/3 innings.

The 30-year-old is facing the Tigers for the eighth time and is 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA over the previous meetings.

The White Sox snapped a two-game slide by rallying to win Monday's opener, 7-5. Dayan Viciedo crushed a two-run homer and added a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to finish with four RBI.

Adam Dunn belted a two-run blast in the first and Addison Reed fired a scoreless ninth for his third save of the year.

"This was a good win," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura. "It's against a good team in your division. Even though we got down three, we still have guys going up there fighting and grinding."

Prince Fielder came into the game hitless in 22 straight at-bats for Detroit, but had three hits, one a two-run double. Miguel Cabrera also had three hits and Delmon Young drove in a run, but the Tigers lost for the third time in four games.

"I thought we swung the bats pretty good, we just didn't hold [Chicago's bats]," Leyland said.

The Tigers and White Sox had split six meetings earlier this season.