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White Sox aim to sweep Tigers out of AL Central picture

Aug 7, 2008 - 2:03 PM Detroit (55-58) at Chi White Sox (63-49) 8:11 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago White Sox will be looking to put another dent in the Detroit Tigers' fledgling playoff hopes when they go for a sweep of their American League Central Division foes Thursday.

Locked in a battle with the Minnesota Twins (63-51) for division supremacy, the White Sox would like to make it distinctly a two-team race by knocking the Tigers down and out.

Detroit was the preseason favorite in the division and looked like a legitimate contender after a 19-8 month of June erased a terrible beginning of the season and brought the club to 42-40, 5 1/2 games behind. But a .500 month of July and 0-5 beginning to August has the Tigers 8 1/2 games back in the division.

Pitching has been the big issue with Detroit, which is on its third closer of the week with the recently named Joel Zumaya taking the place of Fernando Rodney, who was ineffective in the absence of Todd Jones - who is down with shoulder inflammation. The staff as a whole has allowed 6.75 runs per game over the past 12 contests.

Ace Justin Verlander tried to pick up the beleaguered staff on Wednesday, lasting into the eighth inning before being lifted after 130 pitches. Verlander was outdueled by lefthander John Danks in Chicago's 5-1 win.

The White Sox will get manager Ozzie Guillen back on Thursday after a two-game suspension. The outspoken skipper was disciplined after making contact with umpire Tim Timmons Sunday and for derogatory remarks he made in a postgame news conference.

Javier Vazquez (8-9, 4.66 ERA) will get the start for Chicago. The veteran righthander snapped a personal four-game losing streak at Kansas City last Friday, allowing two runs in six innings. He has lost his last two starts against Detroit, allowing 11 runs and 21 hits in 13 combined frames.

The Tigers will counter with righthander Zach Miner (5-4, 3.77). The converted reliever lost to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday but has been solid since moving into the rotation on July 21, going 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three starts.