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Sizemore, Indians look to continue oslaught vs. White Sox

Apr 5, 2007 - 2:10 PM Cleveland (2-0) at Chi White Sox (0-2) 2:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Despite the wintry early-season weather, Grady Sizemore and the Cleveland Indians are red hot.

The Indians aim for their first season-opening sweep in nine years when they face the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Cleveland has not swept a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field since May 17-19, 1999. The Indians have not started the season with three straight wins since reeling off six in a row to start the 1998 campaign.

Cleveland was second in the American League last season, averaging 5.4 runs per game. Sizemore ignited the offense, leading the AL in runs scored (134). This season, he has picked up right where he left off.

On Wednesday, the Indians banged out 13 hits, including eight for extra bases, in an 8-7 victory over the White Sox. Cleveland hit for the cycle in consecutive at-bats in the second inning, and Sizemore belted a two-run homer in the seventh.

The Indians have scored 20 runs in the first two games of the series.

Mark Buehrle will try to cool off the Indians on Thursday. But the lefthander was 0-3 with a 6.51 ERA in five starts vs. the Indians in 2006.

The Indians have high hopes for Jeremy Sowers, who was 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA as a rookie in 2006. The lefthander was 6-1 with a 2.33 ERA in his final 10 starts.