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Twins-White Sox Preview

Sep 22, 2009 - 5:10 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Minnesota (76-73) at Chicago (73-77), 8:11 p.m. EDT

In a tight division race and already without one of their top hitters, the last thing the Minnesota Twins need is to have to be concerned about Denard Span as well.

The Twins hope to have the center fielder back in the lineup after a scary moment as they continue a three-game series with the fading Chicago White Sox.

Span was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Chicago reliever Randy Williams in the sixth inning of Minnesota's 7-0 win over the White Sox on Monday. Span was helped off the field after remaining on the ground a few minutes.

The Twins (77-73) said Span, hitting .305, had a slight headache and was taken out for precautionary reasons. He is considered day-to-day.

"I have a headache and I'm a little dizzy," Span said. "It was even scarier on the replay. ... I'll take some Tylenol tonight and see how I am tomorrow."

Minnesota is hoping Span, who has hit .393 against the White Sox (73-78) this season, won't miss much - if any - playing time after pulling within 2 1/2 games of AL Central-leading Detroit, which was idle Monday. The Twins are already without All-Star Justin Morneau, who is sidelined with a stress fracture in his lower back, and third baseman Joe Crede, who is also out for the year with back issues.

Losing Span didn't stop the offense Monday, though. The Twins added three more runs after he left as they won for the seventh time in eight games. Nick Blackburn went seven innings, scattering eight hits while striking out six.

"We're trying to finish the season hard. When Morneau and Crede went down for us, you have to step up," said Orlando Cabrera, who drove in two and scored three times.

It was the 13th time Chicago was shut out - its most since being blanked 14 times in 1993.Jermaine Dye, who was hitting .302 before the All-Star break, dropped to .168 since, going 0 for 3 Monday. He is hitting .105 in the last 11 games, and along with his teammates, faced plenty of boos from the home fans.

"I don't blame them," manager Ozzie Guillen. "Come and see this day in and day out and obviously they're going to act that way."

The White Sox are seven games behind the Tigers. They've lost five of six, scoring one or fewer runs in four of those games.

Chicago was unable to do much against Jeff Manship (0-1, 5.31 ERA) when the club faced the rookie earlier this month.

After five relief appearances, Manship made his first start on Sept. 1 against the White Sox, allowing one run in five innings of a 4-3 victory.

The right-hander gave up four runs in four innings of a 4-2 loss to Oakland on Sept. 12.

John Danks (12-9, 3.59) looks to snap a four-game winless streak when he takes the mound for Chicago.

After failing to earn the win against the Angels despite pitching six scoreless innings, Danks allowed one run and four hits in eight innings of a 4-3, 14-inning loss to Seattle on Thursday.

The left-hander is 1-1 with a 3.91 ERA in four starts this season against Minnesota.