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White Sox turn to Buehrle to end road woes

Aug 31, 2007 - 2:50 PM Chi White Sox (57-77) at Cleveland (76-57) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - The season cannot end soon enough for the Chicago White Sox. Unfortunately for them, they run into one of baseball's hottest teams when they begin a three-game set against the Cleveland Indians on Friday.

The White Sox are spiraling downward on the road, having dropped nine straight away from home for the first time since the end of the 1976 season. Chicago has not lost 10 consecutive road games in one season since July 14-29, 1969.

On the other hand, the Indians enter this series as winners in six straight contests. With a win on Friday, they would match the seven-game winning streak they put together from September 5-11, 2005.

The streak has helped Cleveland extend the 1 1/2-game lead it had last Friday to 4 1/2-game advantage the team enjoys over Detroit (72-62) in the American League Central division race.

The White Sox will look to end their misery as they ask Mark Buehrle (9-9, 3.50 ERA) to break his three-game losing streak over his last four starts. He surrendered four runs and six hits over six innings in Saturday's 14-2 home loss to Boston.

The lefthander, who is one win shy of reaching double figures for the seventh straight season, has struggled in 28 lifetime outings - 27 starts - going 8-11 with a 4.70 ERA against the Indians.

Cleveland will respond with Fausto Carmona (14-8, 3.16), who will try for a third time to become the seventh AL pitcher to reach 15 wins. He logged a no-decision in Sunday's 5-3, 11-inning win over Kansas City, allowing three runs and 10 hits over six innings.

Much like Buehrle versus the Indians, Carmona has not enjoyed a great deal of success against Chicago, going 0-3 with a 7.63 ERA in three starts and two relief appearances.