Minnesota @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2016 ) Minnesota 3, Chi. White Sox 7

The Chicago White Sox are looking to finish the season in the same manner in which it began - with a pronounced hot streak. Winners of six of their last seven contests, the White Sox look to continue their good fortune versus the visiting Minnesota Twins on Saturday when the American League Central rivals play the second contest of their three-game series.

Chicago recorded a pair of three-game sweeps against Minnesota to help build a 23-10 record in early May before the bottom fell out on its season. The clubs split their next 10 encounters before Melky Cabrera and Tim Anderson each collected three hits and drove in two runs in Friday's 7-3 victory. Cabrera is 31-for-66 with one homer and 14 RBIs versus the Twins while Anderson is 20-for-46 in the season series. Logan Schaefer had two hits and scored a run on Friday and is 4-for-10 in his last three contests for cellar-dwelling Minnesota, which has dropped 11 of its last 13 games to reach 103 losses - its most since the franchise was known as the Washington Senators (50-104, 1949).

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Hector Santiago (12-10, 4.87 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (6-18, 5.82)

Santiago has suffered back-to-back losses in dismal fashion, following up a six-run performance versus Detroit on Sept. 20 by surrendering three homers five days later in a 4-3 setback against Seattle. The 28-year-old has enjoyed success versus the team that drafted him in 2006, improving to 3-1 against Chicago after tossing six strong innings in an 11-3 rout on Sept. 3. Santiago was taken deep on two occasions in that contest and 13 times in the last 10 starts.

Shields recorded his first victory in two months on Monday after allowing one run in six innings versus his former team (Tampa Bay) in a 7-1 rout. The 34-year-old kept the ball in the park for the second time in three outings after surrendering 17 homers in his previous seven contests. Shields split a pair of starts versus Minnesota this season, permitting one run in 6 2/3 innings of a 9-6 win on June 29 before getting shredded for three homers and five runs total in 2 1/3 frames of an 11-3 setback on Sept. 3.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago DH Justin Morneau is 6-for-14 during his four-game hitting streak and is 11-for-38 in 10 encounters versus his former team.

2. Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier is 2-for-31 in his last seven contests.

3. Twins C Kurt Suzuki will not be behind the plate for the rest of the season, with manager Paul Molitor saying that the veteran "has taken a beating."

PREDICTION: Twins 3, White Sox 1