Chicago White Sox (69-83) at Tampa Bay Rays (74-79), 7:10 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - It's a meeting of eras for the Chicago White Sox.
The visitors could get retiring veteran Paul Konerko back after a prolonged injury absence, while newcomer Jose Abreu enters the homestretch of his first season when the White Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays to open a three-game weekend series at Tropicana Field.
Konerko hasn't played in 17 days thanks to a hand injury and his role for the season has been limited to just 74 games because of the emergence of Abreu.
The veteran is the franchise's all-time leader in total bases and is second in games, home runs and runs batted in. He was a six-time All-Star and was a key member of the 2005 World Series championship team. Abreu, meanwhile, has equaled a White Sox rookie record with 35 home runs.
He's established himself as the American League's front-runner for the rookie of the year with a .319 batting average and 103 RBI as well.
Facing him for the first time will be Tampa Bay's Jeremy Hellickson, who's dropped three decisions in his last six starts at Tropicana Field while compiling a 4.94 earned run average. He's also 0-2 with a 4.21 ERA in his last seven outings overall.
His last appearance was a six-inning stint against Toronto on Saturday, which resulted in a no-decision in the Rays' 6-3 loss. His last victory at home came one year ago Saturday.
Hellickson is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in his career against Chicago.
The White Sox have won just twice in their last 12 road games.
Jose Quintana downed Minnesota to pick up one of those two wins on Saturday after allowing a run on three hits in a 5-1 triumph.
He's maintained a sub-2.00 ERA in his last three starts while winning two decisions and striking out 23 batters in 20 innings.
He's started against the Rays twice and lost the lone decision with a 5.87 ERA.
On Wednesday in Kansas City, Lorenzo Cain collected three hits including a three-run home run, as the Royals claimed a 6-2 decision over Chicago in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez knocked in a run apiece for the White Sox.
Chris Sale (12-4) was charged with five runs on nine hits despite six strikeouts over five full frames.
"It just shows he's human. He'll bounce back. It's just that tonight wasn't his night," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
In Tampa, Derek Jeter broke out of a slump in his last game at Tropicana Field, scoring the eventual winning run as the New York Yankees beat the Rays, 3-2.
Evan Longoria homered and drove in two runs for the Rays. Alex Cobb (9-8) allowed three runs in six innings and remained winless in his last five starts.
"For some reason, the ball just kept sailing on me up and away," Cobb said.
The White Sox won three of four over a visiting Rays club from April 25-28.