Minnesota @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2012 ) Minnesota 4, Chi. White Sox 11

The Chicago White Sox have rediscovered their offense and will go for a three-game sweep against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. The White Sox scored only nine runs during a five-game losing streak when they lost their American League Central lead. But 18 runs in two games against the Twins – including Adam Dunn’s four RBIs and his major league-leading 30th homer in Tuesday’s 11-4 victory – have lifted Chicago back into a first-place tie with Detroit in the division. Chicago's Paul Konerko is 7-for-8 with two homers in the series.

Chicago’s Jake Peavy is 1-6 in his last nine starts, with five of the losses coming on the road. One of those was a 4-1 setback at Minnesota on June 25, when he yielded three runs and 10 hits in six innings. Peavy, though, is 4-2 at home and will oppose Minnesota’s Nick Blackburn, whose only loss in his last nine major league starts was a 12-5 setback at Chicago on June 27.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), CS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Nick Blackburn (4-5, 7.46 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jake Peavy (7-7, 3.22)

Blackburn is 4-1 with four no-decisions in his last nine major league starts, but 0-1 and two no-decisions in his last three outings. He allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and didn’t receive a decision in the Twins’ 2-1 victory at Kansas City on Friday after being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday. Blackburn is 9-7 with a 4.18 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) against the White Sox. Chicago's roster is batting .316 against him, with A.J. Pierzynski 16-for-45 (.356) and Dunn 2-for-11 (two homers, five RBIs).

Peavy allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings in Chicago’s 4-2 loss at Detroit on Friday. It was a better start than the previous one, when he yielded six runs and 12 hits in seven innings in a 6-3 setback at Kansas City on July 14. Peavy allowed one run and struck out seven in his last home start, a 4-2 victory over Toronto on July 6. The Twins’ roster is hitting .282 with no homers in 117 at-bats against Peavy. Joe Mauer is 5-for-17 (two RBIs).

WALK-OFFS

1. Pierzynski missed Tuesday’s game with a mild strain of his right oblique, which occurred during an at-bat Monday. He is day-to-day.

2. Minnesota’s Justin Morneau went 2-for-4 on Tuesday after missing three games to be with his wife Krista, who gave birth to the couple’s second child – a son – Saturday. Morneau served as DH on Tuesday because of a sore neck.

3. The White Sox have won nine of their last 10 at home after opening the season 17-21 at U.S. Cellular Field.