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White Sox, Athletics meet in battle of first place teams

Apr 14, 2008 - 1:32 PM Oakland (8-5) at Chi White Sox (7-4) 8:11 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Widely considered to be among the worst teams in the American League prior to the season, the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics are each at the top of their respective divisions.

Each team will try to prove it's for real when the Athletics visit the White Sox on Monday for the start of a brief two-game series.

Chicago jumped to the top of the AL Central over the weekend with a dismantling of preseason favorite Detroit. The White Sox dropped the series opener on Friday, 5-2, but rebounded to outscore the Tigers 18-0 in wins on Saturday and Sunday.

Both Joe Crede and Paul Konerko hit grand slams in Sunday's 11-0 victory, and Gavin Floyd and Javier Vazquez each tossed at least seven scoreless frames.

Oakland had its five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in frigid temperatures at Cleveland, falling 7-1. The A's won with offense during their streak, averaging 6.8 runs per game.

The White Sox will send ace Mark Buehrle (1-0, 8.31 ERA) to the mound on Monday. The veteran lefthander was hammered in his first start of the season, but recovered to allow two runs - one earned - and seven hits in seven frames at Detroit on April 6 to earn a win.

He owns just a 3-9 career mark with a 3.86 ERA in 21 games - 17 starts against Oakland in his career.

The A's with counter with rookie Greg Smith, who is set to make his second major league start. The 24-year-old lefthander struggled with his command early last Wednesday, walking five, but recovered to allow just three runs - two earned - and two hits in a win at Toronto.