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Jul 24, 2010 - 6:48 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Chicago (53-42) at Oakland (48-48), 4:10 p.m. EDT

At 43 years old, Omar Vizquel is showing he still can be productive at the plate for the Chicago White Sox.

Vizquel looks to continue his hot hitting when the White Sox meet the Oakland Athletics on Saturday afternoon.

Chicago (53-42) opened this three-game series with a 5-1 victory Friday, improving to 4-4 on its trip which ends Sunday. Vizquel had two hits and scored a run.

The 11-time Gold Glove winner, who has played mostly shortstop during his 22-year career, has primarily been used at third base since Mark Teahen went on the disabled list June 1.

Vizquel, batting .444 in his last nine games, moved past Luke Appling into 50th place on baseball's career hit list with 2,751 on Friday.

Chicago's win gave it a 2 1/2-game lead over second-place Detroit in the AL Central.

The White Sox also received a boost from the return of Carlos Quentin, who hadn't played since Sunday after injuring his wrist. He drove in two runs and played in right field but could be used as the designated hitter either Saturday or Sunday.

"The guy, when he's DHing, he looks like a bull before he goes into the ring," manager Ozzie Guillen told the White Sox's official website. "This guy never stops swinging."

Chicago, which has won five of six in Oakland after dropping 28 of the previous 34, will hand the ball to Freddy Garcia (9-3, 4.37 ERA) on Saturday.

Garcia went six innings against Minnesota on Sunday, giving up three runs and a season-high 11 hits while leaving with a 6-3 lead. The White Sox, though, allowed four runs in the ninth and lost 7-6.

The right-hander was trying for his first 10-win season since going 17-9 in 2006 in his first stint with the White Sox. The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak by Chicago in games started by Garcia, who is 6-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his past nine outings.

Garcia hasn't faced the A's in Oakland since April 27, 2005.

The A's (48-48) will try to bounce back after losing for the second time in nine games. They had scored 11 runs in their previous two but managed four hits off Mark Buehrle.

Oakland will turn to Vin Mazzaro (5-2, 3.50), who has pitched well recently. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last four starts, and he gave up one run in 7 2-3 innings of a 9-6 win over Kansas City on Sunday.

"Vin's been great," designated hitter Jack Cust told the A's official website. "He's got the stuff, it's just the confidence behind it and throwing the ball with that confidence. When you're facing pitchers that have confidence, even if they make mistakes, if they're throwing the ball with confidence, you can tell as a hitter."

Mazzaro made his major league debut against the White Sox in Chicago on June 2, 2009, giving up three hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-0 win.