Chicago White Sox (27-33) at Chicago Cubs (27-34)
4:10 PM EST ESPN
Starting Pitchers
CWS: M. Buehrle (3-6, 5.40)
CHC: C. Silva (8-0, 2.93)
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The Cubs will look to bounce back after a 10-5 loss in game one on Friday as the battle cross town rivals the White Sox at Wrigley Field in game two of a three-game set on Saturday evening.
Buehrle was shelled for six earned runs in three innings against the Indians on Sunday, but the Sox held on to win. He allowed eight hits and three walks .He has given up 12 earned runs over his last two starts and his ERA climbed to 5.40. For the season he has only pitched past the 5th inning 6 times in 12 starts.
As a team, the White Sox have struggled to find offense. Last year’s phenom Gordon Beckham has suffered a season long sophomore slump and looks overwhelmed. Despite his .204 average, with one home run and 12 RBIs, the Sox are committed to him as a future star and everyday player. Beckham went 112 at-bats without an extra-base hit, before a double against Detroit on June 9, and had gone 170 at-bats since his lone home run of the year. He also led the White Sox with 38 strikeouts entering Friday. As a team they are 29th in hits, 26th in batting average, and 22nd in RBI’s. Carlos Quentin has been reduced to playing against favorable matchups, but still is only 4-22 with 3 RBI the last week.
Carlos Silva takes the mound for the Cubs. On Monday against the Pirates, Silva struck out five and walked one allowing only one run on four hits to improve to 8-0. This year has been a surprise for Silva, posting even lower walk rates than his usual and has managed to strike out 47 in 67.3 innings. The doubters look at the past few seasons and say he is bound to regress, but so far the decision to keep him in the rotation over Carlos Zambrano has paid off.
On Friday, outfielder Alfonso Soriano became the 127th Major League player to hit 300 home runs, smacking the shot in the second inning against Jake Peavy. It was Soriano’s first since May 23 and his tenth on the year. Most (7) have been against right-handers, so he does struggle against lefties. Many had written him off early and a few suggested trading him or even releasing him, but he has quieted those doubters with a solid season, hitting .280 on the year with 17 doubles to go with the 10 homers. He is slumping again, with two hits in his last 16 at bats. Kosuke Fukodome, who was handling leadoff chores, has slumped to 4-18 with no extra base hits.
The odds makers were not posted at the time of this writing.
I expect the Cubbies to get back in this one behind another solid pitching effort from Silva, winning game two.
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