The Chicago White Sox will take a quick break from their road trip and return home on Monday to face the Detroit Tigers in a makeup game from a rain out last week.
The finale of a four-game set between these two AL Central rivals was postponed on Thursday due to weather with the White Sox owning a one-game lead over the Tigers for first place in the division. Detroit took two straight meetings in the set after dropping last Monday's opener.
Chicago's advantage has moved to two games after it swept the Minnesota Twins over the weekend, while Detroit took its first two encounters with the Cleveland Indians before a loss on Sunday.
The White Sox posted a 9-2 rout on Sunday, getting a two-run homer and three runs batted in from Dayan Viciedo. Adam Dunn added a solo homer and Jake Peavy yielded two runs on four hits and a walk over six innings to get the win.
"That's a big one we have (Monday) and I hope the fans are out there for us," said Peavy. "A win tomorrow would be huge for us then we head to Kansas City so we have our work cut out for us."
Chicago opened what was to be a nine-game road trip that also features trips to Kansas City and Anaheim.
Detroit, meanwhile, ends an 10-game road trip one day later than expected and is 4-5 so far on the swing. It fell below the .500 mark with a 7-6 loss to Cleveland yesterday and will open a 10-game homestand on Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics.
Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer for the Tigers on Sunday, but his club failed to hold a 6-5 lead in the ninth as closer Jose Valverde yielded a run- scoring triple and walk-off single in the frame.
"It's frustrating, especially at this time of year," said Detroit starter Rick Porcello, who gave up four runs -- two earned -- over 4 2/3 innings. "These are high-intensity games as far as how much they mean. We're right there in this race."
The Tigers had a four-game win streak snapped and are hoping to have two regulars in the lineup for this makeup contest.
Austin Jackson was scratched from Sunday's game due to sore left ankle, while catcher Alex Avila had to exit the contest early after colliding with teammate Prince Fielder while tracking down a foul ball. He has a sprained jaw and like Jackson is day-to-day.
Doug Fister pitched the Tigers to a win over the White Sox last week and looks to do the same today and win a third straight start.
Fister logged his second straight seven-inning outing and gave up two runs in a 5-3 victory on Tuesday. The righty yielded solo homers to Dewayne Wise and Gordon Beckham in the first and third inning, respectively, before Detroit plated three runs in the fifth to go ahead for good.
The 28-year-old improved to 9-8 with a 3.49 earned run average in 22 starts this season and beat the White Sox for the first time in six career meetings.
"Tonight was a good night," Fister said. "Defense played tremendous back there and that was the name of the game. They stuck with me, stuck behind me, and played well."
Fister's outing came one game after Jose Quintana helped the White Sox get a victory in the series opener. Chicago turns to the rookie left-hander again today.
Facing the Tigers for the first time, Quintana hurled 7 2/3 innings and struck out seven in the victory. He gave up a run-scoring single to Jhonny Peralta early in the game, but kept his club close until the White Sox plated four runs in the sixth frame to key a 6-1 win.
Quintana, 23, is 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 21 games this season, including 19 starts.
Detroit has won nine of its last 10 over Chicago and today marks the final regular-season meeting between the clubs.
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