• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Verlander aims to continue recent dominance

Jul 26, 2008 - 10:12 AM Chi White Sox (58-43) at Detroit (52-50) 7:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- Even though the road hasn't been all kind to the Chicago White Sox, it didn't seem to bother them as they rallied twice Friday in a series-opening win over the Detroit Tigers. However, with the way Justin Verlander has been pitching lately, another comeback may be harder to come by on Saturday.

Verlander hopes to help the Tigers rebound from a crushing loss to the White Sox.

Chicago - which trailed 4-1 after six innings and 5-4 after eight - improved to 23-27 on the road, thanks to a two-out, two-run shot from Jermaine Dye in the top of the ninth in its 6-5 win.

The win, coupled with a fifth straight loss by Minnesota (55-47), allowed the White Sox to take a 3 1/2-game lead over the Twins and 5 1/2-game advantage over the Tigers in the American League Central, a division in which Chicago has held sole possession of first place since May 17.

That cushion figures to get a stiff challenge from Verlander (8-9, 3.95 ERA), who has won his last four starts and is 6-0 with a 2.30 ERA over his last eight outings. That unbeaten streak started on June 11 against the White Sox, against whom he pitched his only complete game.

In his last start, the hard-throwing righthander came one out short of his second complete game, allowing one run and three hits in Sunday's 5-1 over Baltimore.

The White Sox, winners of three straight, will look for a better outing from John Danks (7-4, 3.03) when he takes the mound. Arguably Chicago's most consistent starter, the lefthander - who has not suffered a loss since May 24 - surrendered six runs and nine hits but did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 8-7 setback to Kansas City.