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Twins, White Sox play two in Chicago

Sep 13, 2014 - 1:04 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - In the midst of a lost season, the Chicago White Sox would still like to replicate some recent history.

They last won three consecutive games two months ago -- against the Minnesota Twins -- and they'd like to repeat the feat on Saturday when the teams begin a three-game weekend series with a doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field.

This series was slated to get underway on Friday, but the game was postponed due to rain.

Chicago enters the weekend having taken three of four overall -- and the final two in a row -- of a series with the Oakland Athletics. The last time the White Sox strung together three straight wins was when they won games one, two and three of a four-game set with the Twins in late July.

They were 13-26 in their subsequent 39 games before bouncing Oakland twice.

Chicago scored just three runs on 12 hits in the two recent victories, but, more importantly, allowed just one run on eight hits.

Lefty Jose Quintana gets the call for the White Sox in the opener after receiving one run from the offense in four of his last six outings.

He allowed a run in six innings on Saturday against Cleveland in a game the White Sox ultimately lost, 3-1.

"I tried to get more innings, give them more and more," Quintana said. "But a pretty good game, tough game. I feel really confident in myself. Now I feel really good with my stuff."

He's maintained a 2.00 earned run average against the Twins in three meetings this season, but has gotten no-decisions in all three -- all of which ended in Chicago losses.

He faced Minnesota's Phil Hughes in his first encounter with Minnesota in early April and will face him again in the first game on Saturday. Hughes is 5-1 with a sub-2.00 ERA in his last seven starts, but has a 7.62 ERA against the White Sox in three 2014 meetings while splitting two decisions.

Hughes was pulled after four innings against Chicago on July 24 after being hit in the right leg by a batted ball.

In the nightcap Chicago will go with Scott Carroll, who has lost his last three starts. Carroll pitched well enough to get the win, though, on Sunday in Cleveland, as he held the Tribe to a pair of runs and seven hits in seven innings of a 2-0 loss. Still and all, he fell to 5-10 with a 4.92 ERA.

"I worked on some things in the bullpen this week, made some adjustments to my mechanics, just staying more balanced, not rushing," Carroll said. "It came together for me. As far as being able to command my breaking ball, it was big. And with the sinker. When I'm able to do that, I get good results."

The Twins, meanwhile, will turn to lefty Logan Darnell in the second game. Darnell has been awful for the Twins this season, going 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA in four appearances (3 starts).

Minnesota is 4-14 in its last 18 games.

"Obviously, I don't want to lose 90 games," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I want to win every one of them, but hopefully, we're building for next year with our young guys."

Minnesota has won nine of its 16 matchups with the White Sox this season.