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White Sox-Twins Preview

Jul 17, 2010 - 5:35 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Chicago (50-38) at Minnesota (46-43), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Solid defense helped the Chicago White Sox during their lengthy winning streak. Poor fielding played a major role in ending that run.

The AL Central-leading White Sox try to bounce back from their first loss in nearly two weeks Saturday when Mark Buehrle makes his first start at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins.

After committing no errors in eight of its previous 10 games, Chicago (50-39) had four errors in Friday's 7-4 loss to Minnesota. Dayan Viciedo and Gordon Beckham each had miscues in the fourth inning as the Twins scored three unearned runs off Gavin Floyd and snapped the White Sox's nine-game winning streak..

"We make a couple of mistakes, and at the end of the day we pay," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

The White Sox, who have won 26 of 32, will look to rebound behind Buehrle (8-7, 4.24 ERA). The veteran left-hander had no success at the Metrodome over the last two seasons, going 0-4 with a 7.16 ERA in five starts.

Buehrle, who is 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six outings, is pitching on seven days' rest due to the All-Star break. He threw seven shutout innings in an 8-2 victory over Kansas City on July 9.

"It was vintage Buehrle," Royals outfielder Scott Podsednik told the White Sox's official website. "... We got a couple of hits here and there but we just couldn't get anything going against him. He was sharp."

Buehrle wasn't sharp in a 5-4 win over the visiting Twins on April 11, but he earned the victory after giving up four runs and eight hits in eight innings. Buehrle is 24-16 with a 4.04 ERA in 42 career starts against Minnesota.

While the White Sox are trying to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since late June, the Twins (47-43) are looking for two straight wins for the first time this month.

"We need to get on the right track. We've been floundering here for about a month," said manager Ron Gardenhire after the team snapped a three-game home losing streak. "The crowds are coming out to support this baseball team, and we need to play a better brand of baseball for 'em. Tonight, hopefully that's a good start."

Carl Pavano (10-6, 3.58) has been giving the club plenty of solid starts. Prior to Friday's victory, the Twins' previous two wins were starts by the veteran right-hander.

"Carl has been our stopper so far this year," Michael Cuddyer told the Twins' official website after Pavano surrendered three runs over 7 2-3 innings of Sunday's 6-3 victory at Detroit. "He went out there and did it again today."

Pavano, 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA in his last seven starts, earned the victory in a 3-2 win over the visiting White Sox on May 12 when he gave up two runs in seven innings of six-hit ball. Pavano is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in six starts against Chicago.

White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin is questionable Saturday after missing Friday's game with a bruised right wrist. Quentin, who is batting .474 with six homers and 13 RBIs in his last six games, is 0 for 6 lifetime against Pavano.

Twins center fielder Denard Span, who is batting .351 in 20 career home games against the White Sox, is 11 for 24 with two homers lifetime versus Buehrle.