• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

White Sox try to stretch division lead in final trip to Yankee Stadium

Sep 15, 2008 - 2:15 PM Chi White Sox (83-65) at NY Yankees (79-70) 7:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The Chicago White Sox might be embarking on their final trip to legendary Yankee Stadium, but nostalgia will likely take a back seat to doing whatever they can to maintain their division lead.

The White Sox will attempt to improve on their razor-thin lead in the American League Central on Monday when they kick off a four-game set against the New York Yankees.

Chicago pushed its division lead to 1 1/2 games over Minnesota (82-67) after the White Sox took both ends of a doubleheader against Detroit and the Twins lost, 7-3, to the Orioles.

While they will be the second-to-last team to visit Yankee Stadium before New York moves into its new surroundings across the street in 2009, the White Sox will likely be more focused on shoring up a bullpen that has fallen on hard times, causing the team to overcome meltdowns by relievers in both of their wins on Sunday against the Tigers.

After watching closer Bobby Jenks surrender a two-run shot to Magglio Ordonez in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday to make them sweat out a 4-2 triumph, the bullpen permitted seven runs in the nightcap to squander a seven-run advantage until Dewayne Wise bailed them out with his first career grand slam in a 11-7 win.

The White Sox will hope they can keep their relievers to limited work on Monday when they turn to Mark Buehrle (13-11, 3.88 ERA), who will eye his third victory in as many starts. The lefthander yielded a single run and seven hits with six strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings of a 6-5 win over Toronto on Wednesday.

The Yankees will counter with rookie Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 1.29) for his second career start. The 25-year-old righthander notched his first victory in his starting debut during Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after he yielded one run and five hits over seven frames.