Chicago @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 16, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Minnesota 7
The Minnesota Twins finally found a way to cool off the Chicago White Sox - and they will try to do it again on Saturday when the teams resume their four-game series at Target Field.
Chicago won the series opener on Thursday, running its win streak to nine games before Minnesota halted the run with a 7-4 victory on Friday.
Francisco Liriano gave the Twins a strong starting pitching performance, something they have been getting very rarely of late. Liriano pitched into the eighth to pick up his seventh victory of the season.
The solid outing from Liriano was a welcome sight for the Twins because the only pitcher they have been able to rely on lately seems to be Carl Pavano, who they send to the mound on Saturday.
Pavano (10-6, 3.58 ERA) leads the team in wins and ERA and has not lost in over a month. The last time a team got the better of Pavano was June 3 when the Seattle Mariners pinned a 4-1 loss on him.
Otherwise, Pavano has been just about automatic.
Minnesota has lost just one of Pavano's seven starts since the setback in Seattle and Pavano's record is 5-0 in that span. He has allowed three runs or less in seven of his last 10 starts and has been Minnesota's most important pitcher as it tries to keep pace with the White Sox and Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.
Pavano has a pretty good track record against Chicago, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.81 ERA in six career starts. Pavano defeated the White Sox at home already this season, allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings of a 3-2 Minnesota victory on May 12.
Chicago will try to bounce back with starter Mark Buehrle.
Good starting pitching has been a big reason for Chicago's surge to the top of the AL Central and Buehrle (8-7, 4.24) has been more than doing his fair share.
Buehrle is 6-2 in his last 10 starts - including a 5-1 mark in his last six outings in which he has permitted three runs or less.
In 44 career games against Minnesota, Buehrle is 24-16 with a 4.10 ERA.
The White Sox could be without right fielder Carlos Quentin, who was removed from the lineup against Minnesota on Friday due to a bruised right wrist.
Quentin, who has 19 homers and 62 RBIs this season, was hit by a pitch on the wrist Thursday.