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White Sox-Indians Preview

Sep 29, 2009 - 10:31 PM Chicago (76-81) at Cleveland (64-92), 7:35 p.m. EDT

The Cleveland Indians finally found a way to score some runs over the weekend after two weeks of futility, but their suddenly resurgent offense may again be on the verge of disappearing.

The Indians will try to avoid another poor performance at the plate and snap a four-game home losing streak to the Chicago White Sox when the teams play a doubleheader Wednesday.

Cleveland (64-92) scored 30 runs during an 11-game losing streak that was its longest in nearly eight decades, but it broke through last weekend. The Indians totaled 22 runs during a three-game sweep of Baltimore, led by four RBIs apiece from Asdrubal Cabrera and Andy Marte.

Cabrera and Marte couldn't stay hot Monday against the White Sox (76-81). The duo went 0 for 7 and Cleveland managed three hits in a 6-1 loss.

Chicago has won both its games since blowing a 5-0 lead in a 12-5 loss to Detroit on Saturday. That sparked manager Ozzie Guillen's ire after his players were watching college football on TV in the clubhouse following the game.

"We got to go out there and compete," Guillen said. "That's the reason I got mad Saturday. You're paid a lot of money to be here and you have to go through the season. I don't want you to go through the motions."

The White Sox have averaged 7.3 runs during their four-game winning streak at Progressive Field largely thanks to Gordon Beckham. The rookie third baseman had three RBIs on Monday and is 10 for 16 with a homer and eight RBIs in his last four games in Cleveland.

Beckham has never faced Fausto Carmona (4-12, 6.62 ERA), who will get the ball in the opener for the Indians hoping to build on his first win in a month.

The right-hander was 0-4 with a 10.32 ERA in five starts before allowing two runs over six innings to beat the Orioles 4-2 on Friday.

He'll be opposed by rookie Carlos Torres (1-1, 5.91), making his first start for the White Sox since giving up five runs and recording two outs in an 11-3 loss to Oakland on Sept. 8.

Torres has pitched twice out of the bullpen since, allowing three runs in 4 1-3 innings. He started against the Indians on Aug. 8, giving up four runs and walking six over 3 1-3 innings in Chicago's 8-5 win.

Mark Buehrle (12-10, 3.95) will get the ball for Chicago in the second game. There had been talk the White Sox would shut down Buehrle, who is 1-7 since pitching a perfect game July 23.

"They talked to me after my last start and said, 'You're not officially shut down, but there's a chance you won't pitch anymore, so we can give some of these younger guys a try,'" Buehrle said. "I don't like sitting four days between starts, anyways. Sitting these last two weeks would've been tough."

The left-hander dropped his third straight start last Wednesday, allowing five runs and eight hits over 3 1-3 innings of an 8-6 loss to Minnesota. He's 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA in three outings against Cleveland this season.

Justin Masterson (4-9, 4.79) will start the nightcap for the Indians hoping to end a personal five-game losing streak.

The right-hander, acquired in the deal that sent Victor Martinez to Boston, has especially struggled in his last two outings, going 0-2 with a 12.38 ERA. He gave up four runs before Cleveland came to bat last Wednesday and allowed eight through four innings in an 11-3 loss to Detroit.

"Because the starting pitching position is so thin here and around the league, we have to continue to give him every opportunity as a starter," manager Eric Wedge told the Indians' official Web site. "He's shown that when he finds it, he'll give you quality starts."

Masterson is 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four career appearances against Chicago. He didn't receive a decision after giving up a run and four hits over four innings versus Torres and the White Sox on Aug. 8.

Chicago hasn't won five in a row in Cleveland since an eight-game streak from July 14, 2005-May 1, 2006.