MLB Game Preview - Chicago Sox at Detroit

Wed Aug 7, 2019 1:10 PM EDT

Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson, two of the Chicago White Sox's top hitters, have gotten hot this month.

They will try to keep the good vibes going in the finale of a four-game series at Detroit on Wednesday.

Abreu went through a 2-for-27 slump in the final seven games on July, but has since delivered three multi-hit games and two homers. He's piled up six hits in the first three games of the series.

Abreu has 24 homers and 81 RBIs for the season.

"The outsider looking in will say he's a good player because of the numbers he has accomplished," hitting coach Todd Steverson recently told the Chicago Sun Times. "But you have to watch him every day to really respect his game. I'm not saying he's a (Mike) Trout, but he's up there with the elite and he just steadily does his job, puts up his homers and RBI and keeps his batting average in the above-average range. He's not a showman but he gets the job done."

Anderson missed over a month of action with a high right ankle sprain before returning late last month. He homered against Philadelphia on Sunday, supplied three hits and two runs scored in the series opener at Detroit on Monday and added two hits in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader.

"Anybody who has been down, not playing, you're having to find your rhythm on both sides of the baseball, both hitting and fielding and running the bases," manager Rick Renteria said to MLB.com about Anderson. "You don't forget it. It's like riding a bike. You know how to get back on it."

Ivan Nova (6-9, 5.10 ERA), the White Sox's scheduled starter on Wednesday, has two wins and a no-decision in his last three starts, in which he's allowed just two earned runs.

He pitched a complete-game against Miami on July 22, a 9-1 win. He held Minnesota to one unearned run in six innings on July 27, then gave up two runs (one earned) in a five-inning stint against Philadelphia on Friday.

Detroit scored six runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings against Nova on April 18. The Tigers are one of just two American League teams that Nova has yet to defeat in his career. He's 0-3 in nine career outings, including eight starts, with a 5.76 ERA. He's 0-1 in four career starts against Seattle.

Tigers rookie left-hander Tyler Alexander will be seeking his first major-league win. He's 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts. He has allowed four runs in each of his last two starts, including a 5 2/3-inning stint at Texas on Friday. He's shown good control thus far, walking just two batters in 22 innings.

Alexander made his debut against the White Sox on July 3 and gave up two runs on five hits in five innings.

Detroit snapped a five-game losing streak with a 10-6 victory in Tuesday's nightcap. It will be seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since May 29 and 31.

"We finished on a good note," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We lost a tough one in the first (game, 5-3), that was disappointing. But we had a good ballgame tonight. Some guys got to run around the bases, which is always entertaining."

--Field Level Media