(Sports Network) - Although Chris Sale has lost three of his last four starts, the left-hander has been dominant at home.
Sale aims to win his eighth straight decision at U.S. Cellular Field today when the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox resume their three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.
Sale, who is coming off losses to Detroit and Baltimore on the road, is 7-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his previous eight home starts. He hasn't lost at home since May 12 against the Royals when Luke Hochevar and a pair of relievers combined on a three-hit shutout.
Over his career, Sale is 3-4 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 games (4 starts) against the Royals.
Bruce Chen aims for a bounce-back performance this afternoon for the Royals. The southpaw allowed four home runs in an 8-4 loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday. He enters today's start one strikeout shy of 1,000 for his career.
Chen is 5-4 in 18 career appearances (13 starts) versus the White Sox.
The Royals have been a thorn in Chicago's side this season. KC has won nine of the 13 meetings, including the last six contests.
"Of late, they've been getting really good pitching, starting-wise," White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said. "They're just as formidable as anybody."
The White Sox lost at home last night for just the second time in their last 11 contests, but maintained a one-game lead on Detroit in the division. The Tigers lost to the Angels on Friday.
Lorenzo Cain's second home run of the game provided the difference against the White Sox, as his two-run blast in the ninth inning gave the Royals a 7-5 victory. Cain hit a solo homer in the fifth, then took Addison Reed deep in the half-inning after Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera (2-2) stranded the bases loaded to keep it a 5-5 game.
"To play the way we've been playing is definitely a great feeling for us," Cain said. "Everything's going good right now."
Salvador Perez had a two-run homer for the Royals, who had lost five of seven coming in. Perez has a 12-game hitting streak.
Alexei Ramirez, A.J. Pierzynski and DeWayne Wise each homered in the loss, Chicago's eighth in its last 11 games.
