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Tigers-White Sox Preview

Sep 26, 2009 - 5:10 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Detroit (82-70) at Chicago (73-80), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Relegated to the role of spoilers, the Chicago White Sox have a chance to do just that to the Detroit Tigers' chances of winning the AL Central.

The White Sox look for a second straight victory over the first-place Tigers on Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

One night after being eliminated from postseason contention, Chicago (74-80) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-0 win over Detroit in Friday's series opener.

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for the Tigers (82-71), whose lead in the division was cut to two games over Minnesota, which beat Kansas City 9-4 on Friday. The frontrunners open a four-game series Monday at Comerica Park, where Chicago will finish the season next weekend.

"It's very simple. You've got to win enough games if you want to win the division," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "You turn the page."

Rookie Gordon Beckham's two-run homer broke up Eddie Bonine's no-hitter in the sixth inning Friday as the White Sox won for the second time in nine games.

"I mean we're out, but we have to play important games against Detroit," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, whose team won the division a year ago. "As long as we play Detroit, we owe respect to Minnesota and baseball and we're going to put the best we can out there."

Beckham, a contender for AL rookie of the year, is batting .267 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs in 96 games this season, but only .222 with a pair of home runs against the Tigers.

Freddy Garcia (2-3, 4.01), who went 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA in three starts for the Tigers last season, looks for another strong outing when he takes the ball for the White Sox.

While Garcia has pitched well in his second run with Chicago, he got little support while allowing two runs and five hits in eight innings of a 2-1 loss to Kansas City on Sunday. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA in four September starts.

"Freddy changes speed very well and keeps guys offbalanced and he's been pitching great. It's a shame we couldn't find a way to score a couple for him and get him a win," Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.

Garcia is 15-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 24 starts against the Tigers, but hasn't faced them since 2006 during his first stint with the White Sox.

The Tigers counter with Nate Robertson (2-2, 5.13), who looks for his second straight win after allowing two runs and striking out six in five innings of a 6-2 win at Minnesota on Sunday.

The left-hander, who's 1-2 with a 2.41 ERA in four starts since coming off a two-month stint on the disabled list with a mass on his elbow, is 6-6 with a 5.08 ERA in 20 starts versus the White Sox.

Placido Polanco had three of the six hits Friday for the Tigers, who batted .313 and averaged 6.5 runs during their four-game winning streak.

"We needed a win. It was just one of those days," said Bonine, who was outpitched by Jake Peavy on Friday.

Polanco is 13 for 26 in his last six games, but 3 for 20 against Garcia.