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Floyd aims to get ChiSox untracked against Twins

Jul 23, 2012 - 2:08 PM (Sports Network) - Right-hander Gavin Floyd gets a chance to end a skid for the Chicago White Sox tonight when they open a three-game series with the visiting Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.

Chicago comes into the game having lost five in a row and have tumbled out of first place in the American League's Central Division for the first time since June.

The White Sox dropped a 6-4 decision to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday at Comerica Park to fall 1 1/2 games behind the surging Tigers in the Central standings.

Detroit won the division by 15 games in 2011.

Chicago's Philip Humber (4-5) had won three straight road starts, but lasted just three innings, surrendering six runs on seven hits in the loss.

In addition to the sweep and the five straight losses, the White Sox have dropped eight of 11 overall.

"We can play with (Detroit), there's no doubt about it. They just basically out-hit us this series and that happens," Chicago catcher Tyler Flowers said. "They're hot right now, we're not as hot as we were, but there's always ups and downs in baseball. We're gonna be fine."

Floyd had won three of four starts heading into the All-Star break before a stint on the 15-day disabled list due to right elbow tendinitis.

He's not pitched in the big leagues since July 7 against Toronto, when he went 7 2/3 scoreless innings against Toronto and allowed just four hits in a 2-0 win.

Two starts prior, he pitched seven scoreless against the Twins while giving up five hits, walking none and striking out nine in a 3-2 victory. That win moved him to 5-11 in his career against Minnesota with a 5.87 earned run average in 104 1/3 innings.

For the Twins, lefty Francisco Liriano tries for the third time for his first win since the All-Star break.

The 28-year-old Dominican was a 5-1 winner at Texas in his last outing before the intermission, but is 0-2 since, while allowing eight hits and six runs in 14 innings of home losses to Baltimore and Oakland.

He's won just once in six decisions away from home in 2012, with the defeat of the Rangers as the only victory.

In 14 meetings with Chicago, Liriano is 5-3 with a 4.26 ERA, including a 4-1 win in their last meeting on June 25.

On Sunday in Kansas City, Ryan Doumit homered from both sides of the plate and Sam Deduno tossed 6 1/3 solid innings, lifting the Twins over the Royals, 7-5, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Doumit went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored for the Twins, who improved to 8-4 against the Royals this season. Brian Dozier knocked in two runs.

Deduno (1-0), making his third career start, gave up one run on six hits to pick up his first win in the big leagues. He struck out four and walked three.

Chicago has won two of three games in a pair of 2012 series against the Twins - the first in Chicago in May and the second in Minnesota in June.

The teams split 18 games last season.