Carl Pavano (13-11, 4.86) vs.
Eddie Bonine (0-1, 4.60), 7:05 p.m. EST
Are we sure this series hasn't already lasted five games? Does anyone else feel that way? Not that we're complaining. We do like-a the baseball around here. (But we're crashing hard tomorrow night.)
I tried my best to jinx Carl Pavano last time he faced the Tigers. (The nickname "Cy Pavano" has some potential to stick, I think.) But they still haven't beaten this guy. They came close 11 days ago in Minneapolis. Detroit smacked 11 hits off him. Yet they only scored two runs, failing to get that one timely (or extra-base) hit that could've done some damage.
Thus, Cy Pavano's record versus the Tigers remains unblemished this season. 4-0, to be exact. Five starts. No losses. That's right, no losses. He is unbeatable when he pitches against the Detroit Tigers.
(C'mon - do I have to resort to making some Alyssa Milano joke? Work with me here, Cy Pavano!)
Eddie Bonine should probably try to file an appeal for taking the loss in his last start. The poor guy took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and only gave up two hits in 6.2 innings. Yet one of those was a two-run homer by Gordon Beckham. And that was all the offense the White Sox needed, as Jake Peavy was dominating the Tigers' lineup on the other side. Bonine responded impressively to playoff-type pressure last Friday. How will he do tonight?
Lineup-wise, Clete Thomas is in right field and batting third this evening. However, Magglio Ordonez is the designated hitter, not Aubrey Huff. (Maggs might just be too hot to sit down right now, with 11 hits in his last 25 at-bats.) Carlos Guillen is in left field, despite batting 0-for-13 with four strikeouts against Pavano this season. And Alex Avila is catching, because poor Gerald Laird is probably still in a tub of ice.