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Athletics-White Sox Preview

Aug 1, 2010 - 3:56 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (51-51) at Chicago (58-44), 2:05 p.m. EDT

The Oakland Athletics have been one of the few teams to play well against the Chicago White Sox of late. However, they have not had to face Gavin Floyd.

With the stingy Floyd standing in their way, the A's look to win their second series in a week against the AL Central-leading White Sox on Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field.

Chicago (58-45) is 34-12 since June 9, losing three of 14 series during that span. Oakland won one of them last weekend, taking two of three at home. The A's then snapped Chicago's 12-game home winning streak with a 6-2 victory Saturday to improve to 3-2 in the season series.

"We like to win a series, and you play a series at a time," Saturday's winning pitcher Dallas Braden told the Athletics' official website.

Braden cooled off a Chicago lineup that had averaged 7.6 runs during a five-game overall winning streak.

The White Sox, who have a one-half game lead over surging Minnesota, lost for only the second time in 21 games at U.S. Cellular. They have not dropped a home series since June 4-6 against Cleveland.

"We're playing good right now, we're playing to our capabilities," said starter John Danks, who took the loss Saturday. "It's fun and even (Saturday) we didn't feel like we were out of the game. It makes a lot of fun always feeling you know you're going to win every game."

Oakland (52-51) put itself in position for a series win after Kevin Kouzmanoff went 3 for 5 with a homer and Braden tossed his third complete game of the season for the A's 11th victory in 16 games.

Kouzmanoff is batting .315 with two homers and 11 RBIs in his last 13 games. He is 7 for 21 against the White Sox this season.

The third baseman has never faced Floyd (6-8, 3.66 ERA), who is 4-2 with a 1.04 ERA in his last 10 starts and has not allowed a run in his last 15 innings.

He has given up five hits and struck out six in seven innings in each of his last two outings - both against Seattle.

"I feel like I'm going out there and having conviction every pitch, not concerned about the results," Floyd said. "I just try to go out there and make a pitch and whatever happens, happens."

The left-hander has enjoyed plenty of success against Oakland, going 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four career starts.

Though Oakland's Gio Gonzalez (9-6, 3.64) is 0-2 with a 12.96 ERA against a White Sox team that drafted him in the first round in 2004, he will try for a third straight overall victory Sunday.

The left-hander didn't earn a decision in Tuesday's 3-1, 10-inning loss at Texas, but lowered his ERA to 2.84 over his last three starts after giving up a run and striking out six in six innings.

White Sox slugger Carlos Quentin is 3 for 4 with a homer against Gonzalez, but 7 for 39 with one home run in his last 12 games overall.