This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Detroit Tigers rookie right-hander Keider Montero has faced all but one of the club’s American League Central rivals.
That’s set to change Friday as the Tigers visit the Chicago White Sox, who are trying to win consecutive games for the first time since late June.
Montero (4-5, 5.28 ERA) will aim to keep the Tigers’ flickering AL wild-card hopes alive. After winning three of four after the All-Star break, Detroit has played three games under .500 over the past month.
Montero has contributed to more bright spots than most lately, winning three straight starts as part of a solid August in which he is 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA.
On Saturday, Montero spaced two hits, two walks and five strikeouts in five-plus shutout innings to defeat the New York Yankees.
“He’s got really good stuff; he just has weapons,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s not just about his fastball and slider. His changeup has gotten better, and when you put that together, he’s been very effective.”
Detroit wants to regroup from the first leg of its seven-game road trip to the Windy City. The crosstown Chicago Cubs thumped the Tigers 10-2 on Thursday afternoon to earn a series victory.
Spencer Torkelson provided Detroit’s lone runs with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. It was Torkelson’s first homer since he was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Aug. 17 after being optioned there June 3.
“It just shows me that my approach works and my natural swing, my natural hitting ability is going to come through when I have a consistent approach,” Torkelson said.
Detroit won five of six from Chicago in the first half, including a season-opening, three-game sweep at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Things hardly have improved for the White Sox since; they enter the weekend with the worst record in baseball at 31-97, 31 games behind Detroit for fourth in the division.
Chicago had the day off Thursday after salvaging a game from the host San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon. Korey Lee and Lenyn Sosa delivered two-run singles in the ninth inning to snap a tie and send the White Sox to a 6-2 win.
“That was one we can build off as a team, as an individual,” Lee said. “Dugout full of great guys and I’m just trying to come through for them.”
Luis Robert Jr. and Gavin Sheets had two hits apiece for Chicago. Sheets is batting .388 (19-for-49) in his past 15 games.
“We’re in all these games,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “We’re not giving up, and it’s nice to come out on top. … I’m really happy with how guys are fighting. To see them keep coming and not just fold and get in, they’re showing a lot of heart.”
Chris Flexen (2-12, 5.46) will start for Chicago, which has lost the veteran righty’s past 18 starts.
Flexen is coming off Saturday’s road loss to Houston, when he allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings. He is 0-0 with a 5.79 ERA against the Tigers in three appearances and two starts covering 14 innings.
–Field Level Media
