Tigers continue home stand with Friday against White Sox

Loss would drop Tigers back to .500

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers looked to be on the right track earlier this week after three straight wins created some breathing room above the .500 mark, where they fell after four losses from June 16-20.

But now the Tigers are in danger of falling back to even Friday after losing back-to-back games against the AL Central's bottom two teams: Cleveland and Chicago.

On Thursday, Joba Chamberlain allowed Carlos Sanchez, a .162 hitter for the White Sox, to clear the bases with a three-run triple to sink the Tigers in the top of the 10th. Chamberlain's meltdown came after Alfredo Simon allowed five earned runs for his second straight difficult start.

Anibal Sanchez will try to be the stopper Friday night.

The righty has been on fire this month, allowing just seven runs in 30 2/3 innings and winning each of his last three starts. Sanchez's last start against the White Sox came in April, when Chicago jumped all over him for nine earned runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Home runs from Adam LaRoche and Jose Abreu in a seven-run 4th inning capped off the worst start of Sanchez's career.

Chicago will send out a hot pitcher of its own Friday, as Jose Quintana makes his fourth start against Detroit this season.

The Tigers shelled Quintana on April 19, knocking him out at four innings with 10 hits and nine runs. The lefty fell to the Tigers again on May 7, allowed two runs but lasting just five innings. On June 5 he held Detroit to three runs in seven innings but settled for a no-decision.

Overall, Quintana has been on a roll over the last month. He's made five straight quality starts, allowing just 10 runs in 33 1/3 innings over that span.

Unsurprisingly, the Tigers' right-handed heavy lineup thrives against Quintana. Yoenis Cespedes is a scorching 8-12 with four homers in his career against Quintana, while Miguel Cabrera (9-27), Rajai Davis, (12-35) and Victor Martinez (12-24) have all owned Quintana in their careers.

As a team the Tigers hit .330 with six home runs and 34 strikeouts in 194 at-bats against Quintana.

The Tigers' lineup will look like this on Friday:

Rajai Davis, CF
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
J.D. Martinez, RF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Bryan Holaday, C
Jose Iglesias, SS

All nine Tigers' batters will hit right-handed against Quintana Friday. Righties hit .304 against him, while lefties hit just .177.

The White Sox, meanwhile, will start with:

Adam Eaton, CF
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Jose Abreu, 1B
Adam LaRoche, DH
Melky Cabrera, LF
Avisail Garcia, RF
Conor Gillaspie, 3B
Tyler Flowers, C
Carlos Sanchez, 2B

Melky Cabrera dominates Sanchez to the tune of a lifetime .519 (14-27) average. Thirteen of those hits are singles, and he's driven in just four runs in those at-bats.

The teams will finish the series with weekend games on Saturday and Sunday.