Three video games.
Three alternatives for the Chicago White Sox to make up floor within the American League Central.
Three probabilities for the Cleveland Guardians to solidify their spot on the high of the division.
The Sox host the Guardians in an important collection starting Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“You’ve got to win that first game,” Sox outfielder AJ Pollock mentioned after Sunday’s 11-5 win towards the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, “and then, yeah, you’ve got to keep pressing the pedal down.”
The Sox path by 4 video games after the Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 11-4 on Monday at Progressive Field.
The season collection is a crucial issue if tiebreakers come into play, and the Guardians maintain a 9-7 edge. The Sox misplaced six of the primary seven conferences however have gained six of the final 9 — together with a five-homer efficiency in an 8-2 victory in Thursday’s make-up recreation at Progressive Field.
Sox performing supervisor Miguel Cairo harassed the significance of the first step — Tuesday — as a substitute of the larger image.
“You don’t want to be thinking like, ‘Go and sweep,’” Cairo mentioned Sunday. “You concentrate on Tuesday, really play hard, go after it and dig in. You are going to win or you are going to lose. Hopefully it’s going to be on our side. We just have to concentrate one game at a time.”
Outfielder Andrew Vaughn and pitcher Vince Velasquez echoed that method.
“The next day’s not given,” Vaughn mentioned. “Got to go out there and play that game, play as hard as you can and see what the end result is.”
Velasquez added: “We know what we’ve obtained to do. If we come out with a bang like we did (Sunday), if we preserve enjoying elementary baseball, preserve making use of stress, attempting to take the additional base, that’s one thing that’s going to clearly retaliate towards them as a result of we all know Cleveland has finished it towards us.
“They’re always on the gas pedal from the first inning to the ninth. Even going against Minnesota, winning in 15 innings (in the second game of a doubleheader sweep Saturday), that’s something hard to endure. We have the potential as a squad to do something like that. It’s just finding the attributes and applying them all together as a squad.”
The Sox have been one of many hottest groups in baseball, profitable eight of 11. They are 13-6 since Aug. 30, when Cairo stepped in for supervisor Tony La Russa, who has not acquired medical clearance to return to the dugout.
The Guardians even have been on a roll, profitable 10 of 12.
“They’re playing good baseball,” Vaughn mentioned. “We’re playing good baseball right now too. So it’s going to be a good battle.”
AL Cy Young Award candidate Dylan Cease begins Tuesday for the Sox, whereas Aaron Civale is scheduled for the Guardians.
Cease is 14-7 with a 2.16 ERA and 214 strikeouts in 29 begins this season, together with 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA in three begins towards the Guardians.
The loss got here April 21 at Progressive Field, the place he allowed 4 runs on eight hits in 5⅓ innings. He pitched 5 scoreless innings and struck out 9 to win the second recreation of a July 12 doubleheader in Cleveland and scattered seven hits in six scoreless innings in a July 24 win at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Civale (2-6, 5.40 ERA) has made one begin towards the Sox this season and left after the primary inning July 13 with a proper wrist sprain. He has been on the injured record since Aug. 30 with proper forearm irritation.
Lance Lynn and Triston McKenzie are Wednesday’s possible starters.
Lynn (7-5, 3.99) allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and one stroll in 6⅓ innings in Thursday’s Sox win at Progressive Field. He’s 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 4 begins towards the Guardians this season.
McKenzie (10-11, 3.08) is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three begins towards the Sox, together with placing out 14 in seven innings throughout an Aug. 19 win at Progressive Field.
Johnny Cueto and Shane Bieber are slated for Thursday’s collection finale.
Cueto (7-8, 3.09) was scratched from Saturday’s begin towards the Tigers as a result of he was below the climate. He’s 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA in two begins towards the Guardians. He went 8⅔ innings, permitting 5 hits, in a 2-0 victory Aug. 20 at Progressive Field.
Bieber (11-8, 2.83) went the space, permitting one run on three hits in a 4-1 victory towards the Sox within the first recreation of a July 12 doubleheader at Progressive Field. He’s 2-2 with a 2.96 ERA in 4 begins towards the Sox this season.
Twelve of the 16 conferences have been determined by three runs or fewer, with every crew profitable six of these video games.
“Just got to go out there and play our game,” Vaughn mentioned. “Pitch well, hit well (and) play defense.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com