Game Preview: White Sox to face James Shields Sunday

Jun 14, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Dayan Viciedo (24) can

The Chicago White Sox are on a three-game losing streak headed into the Father’s Day Sunday matchup at US Cellular Field against the Kansas City Royals.

Friday and Saturday haven’t been kind to the White Sox with losses to the visiting Royals this weekend, putting the White Sox in last place in the AL Central with a 33-36 record, being 4.5 games back of the Detroit Tigers.

With the series win not being able to occur, the best the White Sox can do is to avoid being swept, which will be tough with the White Sox having to face James Shields.

Shields is 7-3 overall with a 3.44 ERA this season. In his most recent start on June 8 against the New York Yankees, Shields pitched six innings, allowing no earned runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out eight in the win.

As for his past three starts, Shields’ ERA is 5.40 with 15 strikeouts. The Royals’ starter has 120.2 innings pitched against the White Sox for his career. In stats provided by MLB.com, Shields is 5-5 against the White Sox with a 3.65 ERA. In those innings he has 101 strikeouts.

Watch out for Gordon Beckham against Shields this game. In 29 at-bats, Beckham has a .310 batting average with two home runs and two RBIs. Another player with success against Shields is Alexei Ramirez. In 40 at-bats vs. Shields, Ramirez has a .400 average with one home run and one RBI.

Dayan Viciedo is also batting over .400 against Shields, with a .421 average with three RBIs in 19 at-bats.

Rienzo has struggled in his past three starts, pitching just 12 innings. In that span of innings, he is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts.

The White Sox starter is 2-1 for his career against the Royals, with a 3.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

The game will begin at 2:10 p.m. ET airing on CSN and on MLB.TV for out-of-market viewers. The game will also heard on WSCR 670 and on MLB Audio.

Here are the lineups for Sunday, June 15:

Chicago White Sox (33-36)
1. Adam Eaton (CF)
2. Gordon Beckham (2B)
3. Conor Gillaspie (3B)
4. Jose Abreu (1B)
5. Adam Dunn (DH)
6. Alexei Ramirez (SS)
7. Dayan Viciedo (RF)
8. Alejandro De Aza (LF)
9. Adrian Nieto (C)

Kansas City Royals (35-32)
1. Jarrod Dyson (CF)
2. Omar Infante (2B)
3. Eric Hosmer (1B)
4. Billy Butler (DH)
5. Alex Gordon (LF)
6. Salvador Perez (C)
7. Lorenzo Cain (RF)
8. Mike Moustakas (3B)
9. Alcides Escobar (SS)