Jeff Benton

Cleveland at CHICAGO -135
For Saturday’s free play on the diamond, we’ll lay the chalk with the White Sox at home against the Indians.This is more or less a play on Chicago starter Gavin Floyd, who has really turned his season around in the last two weeks. After starting out 2-4 with a 7.71 ERA through his first eight starts, Floyd has been brilliant over his last three outings, giving up a combined five runs and 13 hits in 23 innings (1.96 ERA), with Chicago winning two of those three games, both at home (2-0 over Pittsburgh, 6-2 over Oakland).As for Floyd’s opposition today – young lefty Jeremy Sowers – it’s been one poor start after another so far. Since being called up in early May, Sowers has made four appearances (three starts) and given up 13 runs on 17 hits in 14 innings, with the Indians losing all three of his starts by scores of 13-3, 7-4 and 5-2. In fact, going back to last year, the Tribe are 2-7 in Sowers’ last nine starts.Among those seven defeats, two came against the White Sox (one this year, one last year), with Sowers allowing a combined nine runs in 9 1/3 innings. In fact, Sowers is 0-3 with a 6.87 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox, with Cleveland losing all four games.Throw in the fact that Sowers is 5-12 with a 6.36 ERA in 25 career road starts, while Floyd is 11-8 with a 4.08 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field (3.34 ERA this season), and this is a no-brainer. Lay the cheap price with the ChiSox, who will get their bats going today after back-to-back shutout losses.

2♦ CHICAGO