Chicago @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Minnesota 3

The hottest team in baseball heading into the All-Star break, the Chicago White Sox look to pick up right where they left off when they open a key four-game series against American League Central Division rival Minnesota on Thursday.

The four-game set at Target Field features the first-place White Sox, who have won eight straight against a Twins team that stumbled into the break with just three wins in its last 10 games.

Chicago leads the division by a half game over the Detroit Tigers with Minnesota 3 1/2 games out of first. It has been a reversal of fortune for these teams as Minnesota led the division for much of the first half while Chicago was mired 9 1/2 games back before getting hot.

The White Sox are an incredible 25-5 in their last 30 games and have lost just once this month. They won a series from the Texas Rangers and then swept four games from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and three from Kansas City heading into the break.

The trip to Target Field kicks off a 10-game road trip for Chicago, which also visits Seattle and Oakland before heading home.

Charged with the task of getting the White Sox off to a good second-half start will be John Danks (8-7, 3.29 ERA), who tossed a two-hit shutout against the Angels last Thursday in his previous start. He is 4-6 in 15 career starts against the Twins and took the loss against Minnesota after giving up three runs and seven hits in seven innings on May 12.

Minnesota got off to a 31-20 start but has collected only 15 victories since June 1. Injuries have not helped as Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy have all missed time.

While not playing their best baseball of late and with concerns about their pitching staff hovering over them, the Twins do have some recent history on their side and there is still a lot of baseball left to play.

Of its five division titles since 2000, Minnesota has been in first place at the All-Star break just once. The 3 1/2 game deficit the Twins now face is nothing compared to 2006, when they were 11 back, or 2003, when they had to make up 7 1/2 games.

Kevin Slowey (8-5, 4.64) starts for the Twins and will be attempting to turn around some recent troubles. Slowey has just one win to show for his last five starts.