As they open the second half of their 2011 season, the Chicago White Sox will try to make up ground in the AL Central in preparation for the playoff appearance the team was aiming for when they made splashy moves in the off season.
Starting out the second half will be Gavin Floyd, 6-9 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Floyd's last start before the All Star break was a mess. He pitched just 3.2 innings against Minnesota, giving up seven runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out just three. In his career against Detroit, Floyd is 5-1 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. Jhonny Peralta has a career .375 average against Floyd with two home runs.
Justin Verlander, 12-4 with a 2.15 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, will open the Tigers series against the White Sox. Verlander ended the first half of the season well, picking up the win against Kansas City after throwing 7.2 innings of one run baseball on six hits and no walks while striking out nine. In his last game against the White Sox, Verlander threw eight innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven. Carlos Quentin is 3-for-5 with two home runs against Verlander this season.
The weather in Detroit is expected to be clear and warm, with a game time temperature in the upper 70's to low 80's. First pitch is at 6:05 P.M., CDT, and the game will be televised on CSN and FS-D HD.