Red Sox-White Sox Preview - MLB

Boston (64-40) at Chicago (52-52)
The Boston Red Sox have torn through much of the American League the last few months, but they still can’t figure out how to beat the Chicago White Sox.

Even Jon Lester(notes) hasn’t been able to help.
Boston’s ace left-hander has posted a pair of ugly starts during his team’s longest losing streak to the White Sox in 47 years, a skid he’ll hope to stop at seven Saturday night in Chicago.
While Boston has gone 37-8 against AL foes other than Chicago (52-52) since May 13, it’s 0-4 against the White Sox in that stretch, including Friday night’s 3-1 defeat.
The Red Sox (64-40) also dropped their last three in the 2010 series, starting their longest slide to Chicago since they lost eight in a row in 1964. They’re 2-14 in the last 16 meetings.
“I know that any moment, any game, against any team you do well against or are terrible with can turn right around,” Friday’s winner Gavin Floyd(notes) said. “You try to ignore that stuff.”
After losing 4-3 to Kansas City on Thursday, Boston has now dropped back-to-back games overall for the first time in July.
The White Sox, meanwhile, have won five of six to reach .500 for the first time since July 4. They last had a winning record at 7-6 on April 15.
Chicago pounded Lester (10-4, 3.23 ERA) on May 30, when the southpaw allowed a season-high seven runs with eight hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-3 defeat.
He was even worse in an 8-2 loss Sept. 30 the last time he visited Chicago, failing to get his 20th win of the season while allowing eight runs in four-plus innings. Paul Konerko(notes) hit a grand slam off Lester in that game and a solo homer against him in May.
Lester returned from a brief stint on the disabled list Monday against Kansas City, allowing just one run but yielding seven hits and two walks while throwing 89 pitches through 5 1-3 innings.
“I felt good probably for the first four and a half, five innings,” Lester, who had a strained left lat muscle, told the Red Sox’s website. “I got a little tired there at the end. But that was to be expected.”
Phil Humber (8-6, 3.27) should be well rested as he makes his first start since July 17.
The right-hander was briefly moved to the bullpen, but didn’t make a relief appearance before rejoining the rotation when the White Sox traded Edwin Jackson(notes).
“I’ve said all along, when they give me the ball, I’ll do the best I can with it,” Humber told his team’s website last weekend.
He beat Boston on May 31, yielding four runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 10-7 victory - the first of four consecutive winning starts for Humber. But things haven’t gone as smoothly recently as he’s allowed 10 runs and 18 hits over 9 1-3 innings while losing his last two starts.
He’ll likely encounter MLB batting leader Adrian Gonzalez(notes), who is expected to return after missing Friday’s game with a stiff neck. Dustin Pedroia(notes) played, but went 0 for 4 as his 25-game hitting streak ended.
Boston has totaled 11 hits in its last two games after averaging 13.4 in the previous nine.