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Indians try to eliminate White Sox from playoff picture

Sep 25, 2006 - 2:51 PM Chi White Sox (87-69) at Cleveland (72-83) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Chicago White Sox wiped away the Cleveland Indians' playoff hopes here in a three-game series during the final week of last season. The Indians attempt to return the favor when they host Monday's opener of a three-game set.

En route to their first World Series title since 1917, the White Sox clinched homefield advantage throughout the 2005 playoffs win a 3-2 triumph in the opener of a three-game series here September 30. Chicago also won the next two games, causing Cleveland to finish the season one game behind Boston in the American League wild card race.

Despite already having clinched a fourth losing season in five years, the Indians can be the ones to officially end the postseason chances of the White Sox. Chicago is 5 1/2 games behind Minnesota, which has a magic number of two to clinch a playoff berth.

The Indians give the ball to Cliff Lee (12-11, 4.58 ERA), who allowed one run and five hits in six innings of a 9-1 win at Chicago on September 7. In his previous 12 starts against the White Sox, the lefthander was 2-4 with a 7.04 ERA.

Chicago counters with Jon Garland (17-6, 4.37), who has dropped his last two starts after going 13-1 in his previous 16. In his last outing Wednesday against Detroit, Garland surrendered five runs and 12 hits in seven innings of a 6-2 loss.

Garland's most recent win came against the Indians on September 9, when he gave up one run and five hits in a 10-8 triumph. The righthander has gone 4-1 with a 3.31 ERA in his last five starts vs. Cleveland after going 3-8 with a 6.30 ERA in his first 14 career meetings with the Indians.