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White Sox-Twins Preview

Aug 18, 2010 - 5:43 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (65-53) at Minnesota (68-50), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Continued success against the Chicago White Sox has helped the first-place Minnesota Twins put some distance between themselves and their rival in the race for the AL Central title.

Coming off a stunning walkoff victory over Chicago, Minnesota looks to increase its lead over the second-place White Sox as it goes for a sixth consecutive win Wednesday night at Target Field.

Former White Sox slugger Jim Thome's two-run homer gave Minnesota (69-50) a 7-6, 10-inning victory Tuesday in the opener of this key three-game set.

The Twins, four games up on the White Sox (65-54), lead the season series 9-4 and have won six of the last seven matchups. Chicago, 2-5 at Target Field in 2010, is struggling to keep up with a Minnesota club that has gone 23-8 since the All-Star break.

"It's an extremely big series," first baseman Michael Cuddyer told the Twins' official website. "You've got to win every game, that's what your mindset has to be."

Chicago, which dropped two of three at home to Minnesota last week, has lost seven of nine.

"Have a couple of drinks and come back (Wednesday) and fight," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Thome is 12 for 31 with two homers against his former team this season after going 3 for 5 with three RBIs on Tuesday. He is 9 for 21 with four homers and 10 RBIs in his last six games.

"Any time you play your ex-team, you obviously want to do well," said Thome, who played with the White Sox from 2006 until being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers last August. "Tomorrow's a new day, but for a little bit here you cherish that moment."

Francisco Liriano (11-7, 3.26 ERA) will try to beat Gavin Floyd for the second time in as many starts Wednesday.

Liriano allowed a run in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-1 win at Chicago on Thursday. The left-hander has gone 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA in his last six starts, and is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in three games versus the White Sox this season.

Floyd (8-9, 3.70) allowed six runs while striking out seven in 6 2-3 innings in the loss to Liriano. The right-hander had gone 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his previous four starts.

"Just go out there and try and ignore (that game), look forward to (the next one)," Floyd told the White Sox's official website.

He has posted a 5.09 ERA in losing three straight starts to the Twins.

Chicago's Alexei Ramirez tied Tuesday's game with a solo homer in the ninth inning and gave his team the lead with an RBI single in the 10th. Ramirez, batting .318 with two homers and seven RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak, has hit .333 with seven RBIs against the Twins this season.

The shortstop is 7 for 14 with a double against Liriano.

Chicago relievers have a 7.84 ERA in the last seven games after All-Star Matt Thornton allowed Thome's shot Tuesday.