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BOS@DET: Scherzer K's Pedroia to escape the second

Jake Peavy's task in the White Sox home opener on Friday at 1:10 p.m. CT is to keep in check a Tigers team that, until Wednesday, had not lost.

"I'm excited to throw the home opener," Peavy said earlier in the week. "To be in front of our fans against a Detroit team -- who knows -- coming in, might not even have a loss yet."

The Tigers were finally stopped on Wednesday, when the Rays scored four runs in the ninth to win, 4-2. Then Detroit (5-1), widely viewed as the class of the American League Central, was back it again on Thursday, winning, 7-2, over Tampa Bay to improve to 5-1.

For his career, Peavy is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in five starts against the Tigers.

"The challenge is always fun versus a team like that," said the veteran right-hander, whose White Sox are 3-2 after a 10-6 win over the Indians on Wednesday. "I promise you this: That Detroit team is outstanding, but I've got a pretty good handle on facing a good team there in Texas [in my first start of the season]. That lineup is outstanding as well. It's good to get your feet wet. It's good to get in a big-time atmosphere and worry about honing in on your focus and making pitches."

The White Sox had an off-day on Thursday.

Getting the start for Detroit on Friday will be right-hander Max Scherzer, who let up just four runs in 29 innings against Chicago last season but also lost to the White Sox twice.

"It'll just be a more exciting atmosphere," Scherzer said of starting in the opposition's home opener. "The only cool part is, you get a flyover."

Scherzer's been battling illness, but said that "being sick doesn't get you injured" and plans to take the mound.

"If something could hurt my arm, I would be smart about it," he said. "But I didn't work hard all my life to get here and then miss a start because I was sick."

The Tigers could use a lengthy outing from Scherzer: They had to use their bullpen for five innings on Thursday after Drew Smyly's somewhat shaky big league debut, and they may have to do the same on Saturday, with Adam Wilk coming up from Triple-A Toledo to make the start.

Scherzer was hit hard by the Red Sox on Sunday in his first start of 2012, lasting 2 2/3 innings and allowing seven runs. Peavy gave up three runs in six innings to the Rangers on Saturday in his first outing.

"It will be a lot of excitement, but the bottom line is channeling that energy and adrenalin you have in the right direction -- making pitches," Peavy said of Friday. "[Try] not getting caught up in anything. You worry about throwing down and away to Miguel Cabrera and [Prince] Fielder and these guys, and keeping Austin Jackson off base before they hit."

Tigers: Inge could play on Saturday
Brandon Inge (left groin) is eligible to return from the disabled list on Saturday and could play that day.

"He's going to play second base against left-handed pitching and, depending on what happens, maybe play a game at third base once in a while to give [Cabrera] a break," manager Jim Leyland said.

White Sox: Flowers has long layoff
Tuesday's postponement kept backup catcher Tyler Flowers out of his second start, and he's doing what he can to be ready whenever called on. Manager Robin Ventura likes to use bench players perhaps more than most managers.

"Where I'm at, I have a pretty good chance if it does continue to be a week at a time, and I don't think it will be," Flowers said. "If it does happen to be, I feel like I'm in a good spot. ... [Hitting coach Jeff] Manto is really working with me on some stuff, keeping it as simple as we can to have a fighting chance in the box. I feel really good where I'm at."

Worth noting
Paul Konerko's first-inning double off Justin Masterson on Wednesday gave him 3,529 career total bases, moving him past Luke Appling for sole possession of second-most in White Sox history.

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