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Fading White Sox open four-game series with Mariners

Sep 21, 2006 - 1:06 PM Seattle (73-79) at Chi White Sox (85-67) 8:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - With hope of reaching a second straight postseason rapidly evaporating, the Chicago White Sox begin their final home series of the season Thursday.

Six games off the pace in the American League Central Division and 5 1/2 back in the chase for the AL wild card, the defending World Series champions play the opener of a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners desperate for a victory.

Chicago was dealt a 6-2 defeat in Wednesday's rubber match of a three-game series against AL Central-leading Detroit, losing for the fifth time in six games. Despite ranking second in the majors with 823 runs this season, the White Sox have scored four times or fewer in eight of their last 10 contests, losing seven times in that span.

The White Sox also have lost the last seven games started by Javier Vazquez (11-9, 4.70 ERA), scoring an average of just 2.57 runs in those contests. Vazquez has just an 0-1 mark to show for a 2.76 ERA in his last five outings, a stretch during which he has recorded 29 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings.

Vazquez has won both career starts against the Mariners, with the most recent coming on April 25. The righthander allowed two runs and four hits in six innings of a 13-3 win in that game.

Seattle counters with Jake Woods (5-3, 4.19), who has gone 4-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 17 appearances - two starts - on the road this season. The lefthander's lone road defeat of 2006 came here on May 3, when he surrendered a game-winning single to Juan Uribe in the 11th inning of a 6-5 setback.

The White Sox have won the last four meetings with the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field dating to last season.