CHICAGO -- The Philadelphia Phillies will visit Chicago's South Side for the first time since 2004 when they open a two-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

Much has changed in the 12 years since the teams last met at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005 and the Phillies won it in 2008, but neither team has sniffed the postseason as of late.

The Phillies (58-67) are hoping to avoid a third consecutive last-place finish in the National League East. They have lost four of their past six games and have been outscored 41-19 during that span.

The White Sox (59-64) have not fared much better, as they are on pace for their fourth straight sub-.500 season. However, home games are proving to be a different story. Back-to-back wins over the weekend against the visiting Oakland Athletics pushed Chicago's home record to 31-27, compared with its road record of 28-37.

"Home games, away games, it doesn't matter," White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton said. "I don't know what our splits are right now, but I think we enjoy playing on the road just as much as playing at home.

"The rivalry of going into someone's house and winning has been fun for us. We enjoy winning at home, as well. All games matter, especially in the position we're in as a unit right now."

Left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-8, 4.26 ERA) will start for the White Sox. The 23-year-old never has faced the Phillies during his career, and he is 2-2 with a 5.96 ERA in five career interleague matchups.

Lately, Rodon has shown glimpses of the talent that led to him being the No. 3 overall selection in the 2014 draft. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his past three starts against the Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians. He is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 18 innings during that span.

The Phillies will send rookie right-hander Jake Thompson (1-2, 8.79 ERA) to the mound for the fourth start of his big-league career. The 22-year-old was a second-round draft choice by the Detroit Tigers in 2012 before they shipped him to the Texas Rangers in 2014 for right-handed relief pitcher Joakim Soria. One year later, the Rangers dealt Thompson to Philadelphia as part of a package to acquire left-hander Cole Hamels.

In his first three starts, Thompson has not made it past the fifth inning. He has allowed 14 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings, including five runs in five innings in his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Command has been a problem for Thompson, who has issued nine walks to go along with 11 strikeouts.

"The one that's putting me in the most amount of trouble is my sinker," Thompson told the Delaware News Journal. "Not commanding it down in the zone, falling behind and trying to use four seams to get back in pitcher's counts. Just struggling with it a little bit."

Phillies manager Pete Mackanin expressed confidence in the rookie pitcher. Before his promotion, Thompson was 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 21 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

"Pitching is all about repeating your mechanics and making good pitches," Mackanin told the News Journal. "In time, he'll get there."