Chicago White Sox

White Sox hope to keep momentum vs. feisty Tigers (Aug 25, 2017)

Published Aug. 25, 2017 4:53 a.m. ET

CHICAGO -- Considering the season-long roller coaster ride the Chicago White Sox have endured, manager Rick Renteria understands the range of emotions that can tend to creep in.

However, as the White Sox begin a weekend series with the Detroit Tigers riding the momentum of a two-game winning streak, Renteria prefers his team take an even-keeled approach from day to day.

Come good or bad, Renteria realizes that is not always an easy task.

After the White Sox finished their five-game series against the Minnesota Twins with back-to-back wins -- including a walk-off victory on Wednesday night -- Renteria isn't complaining about the resilience his young team has displayed of late.

Although he wants his players to remember the moments that have led to victories in a season in which wins haven't always come -- or come easily -- Renteria doesn't want the White Sox to be consumed with the constant ups and downs.

"Once the game starts the following day, that's over and you've got to focus now on what you're supposed to do in those particular coming moments," Renteria said Thursday before Chicago's 5-1 victory over Minnesota. "I think that understanding and appreciating it is one thing, but that one is done. We've got to be concentrating on what we've got to do for the next ballgame."

For the Tigers, moving past the 10-6 victory they recorded over the New York Yankees on Thursday may not be so easy.

The win -- just Detroit's second since Aug. 12 -- included three bench-clearing brawls that led to the ejection of slumping slugger Miguel Cabrera, whose fight with Yankees catcher Austin Romine set off a series of fireworks that carried through much of the rest of the game.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus also was ejected along with six other participants on a day when tempers flared continually.

"You don't want to see fighting on the field," Cabrera said. "But people have to understand, we're human."

While not ejected, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander -- who will start Friday night against the White Sox -- was caught on video in what appeared to be a verbal altercation with teammate Victor Martinez in the dugout.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Verlander appeared to be upset by Martinez acting friendly with Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez during one of the on-field flare-ups.

Verlander was not made available after the game for comment, but third baseman Nicholas Castellanos said the matter had been dealt with "in-house."

Verlander (9-8, 3.96 ERA) is in the midst of his best month of the season, having won three of his four August starts. He is coming off a stellar performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend when he allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine over eight innings in a 6-1 Tigers victory.

The veteran right-hander is 20-13 in 41 career starts against the White Sox and is 1-0 against Chicago this season.

The White Sox will counter with Miguel Gonzalez (7-10, 4.44 ERA), who is 1-2 against the Tigers this season but just 3-6 in 10 career starts against Detroit.

After Chicago won three of five games against the Twins, Renteria is ready to keep the momentum rolling in the right direction.

The White Sox lost a pair of players, right fielder Leury Garcia (back stiffness) and second baseman Yoan Moncada (shin splints) on Thursday night, but both are considered day-to-day. Moncada will undergo an MRI exam Friday, Renteria said.

"At the end of the day, we're playing in our division, you're always trying to put your best foot forward against those guys," Renteria said.