First pitch: Thursday, 8:10 p.m. ET
Line: Detroit +115, Chicago -125, Total: 10.0

The Tigers will be hoping to avoid a third straight loss when they face the White Sox in Chicago on Thursday.

Detroit is going to need to play some very good baseball in the second half of the season if the team wants to make the playoffs. That, however, has not been the case recently and the Tigers have now lost three of their past five games. They will really need to make the most of this series against a White Sox team that has been miserable since getting off to a hot start this season. Chicago is coming off of a 6-5 loss to Seattle on Wednesday and the team has now lost six of its past seven games. The White Sox do, however, have an outside shot of earning a wild card spot, so they are not ready to give up on the season just yet. The starters in this matchup are set to be RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-9, 4.95 ERA, 46 K) for the Tigers and RHP James Shields (4-11, 5.10 ERA, 77 K) for the White Sox. One trend worth pointing out in this game is that Detroit is just 2-11 against the money line with an on base percentage of .310 or worse over its past 20 games this season. Fortunately the Tigers are playing against a White Sox team that is just 11-23 against the money line after having lost four or five of its past six games this season.

The Tigers could really use a victory on Thursday and Mike Pelfrey is going to be their starter in this one. Pelfrey is going to need to be a lot sharper than he was his last time out, as he allowed five earned runs in 1.2 innings of work in that one. Pelfrey walked four batters in that short time period and will need to be a lot more on point with his control in this one. Pelfrey has, however, allowed an average of only three earned runs in six innings of work in his past two starts against the White Sox. It’d be big if he can channel some of that success in this one. Offensively, the three guys to watch in this game are 3B Miguel Cabrera (.289, 18 HR, 53 RBI), 2B Ian Kinsler (.292, 19 HR, 56 RBI) and DH Victor Martinez (.291, 17 HR, 55 RBI). The three of them have combined for six homers and 19 RBI against Shields in their careers and are certainly capable of going off again in this one. All three have serious pop in their bats and will be looking to take the starter yard in this one.

The White Sox will be looking to turn things around with a win on Thursday and James Shields is going to be taking the mound for them in this one. Things were rough for Shields after being traded to Chicago, but he has found his groove and is pitching very well lately. Shields has allowed just six earned runs in his past 28.1 innings of work, and it’d be big if he can work deep into this game on Thursday. Offensively, two guys to watch out for on this White Sox team are OFs Melky Cabrera (.302, 9 HR, 43 RBI) and Adam Eaton (.271, 5 HR, 30 RBI). Cabrera has been on a tear for Chicago lately, racking up two or more hits in five of his past nine games. He also happens to be very good against Pelfrey, going 8-for-27 with two doubles and two RBI against him in his career. Eaton has also had some success against the Tigers’ starter, going 5-for-12 with a triple and an RBI in the matchup.