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Buehrle, White Sox try to keep slim playoff hopes alive

Sep 23, 2006 - 2:12 PM Seattle (75-79) at Chi White Sox (85-69) 1:15 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- With the Chicago White Sox on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention, Mark Buehrle will try to keep them in the race.

The lefthander will take the ball in Saturday's third game of a four-game weekend series against the Seattle Mariners.

The White Sox have lost seven of their last eight contests, dropping them seven games behind Detroit in the American League Central and 5 1/2 games back of Minnesota in the AL wild card with only eight games remaining.

Buehrle (12-13, 4.79 ERA) has struggled after the All-Star break this season, going 3-7 with a 6.01 ERA in 13 starts. In his last outing, he allowed four runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings in an 8-2 loss to Detroit on Monday.

In his only start against Seattle this season, Buehrle yielded four runs and seven hits in seven innings in a 5-1 loss.

He will be opposed by Felix Hernandez (11-14, 4.68), who has gone 3-6 with a 4.30 ERA in 12 second-half starts. The hard-throwing 20-year-old struggled in his only start against Chicago this season, giving up four runs and seven hits in five innings in a 4-1 loss on May 4.

Richie Sexson belted two homers and Ichiro Suzuki had two hits and knocked in two runs on Friday as the Mariners used a six-run second inning to post an 11-6 victory over the White Sox.

Jose Contreras left the game after injuring his ankle in the second while covering first base on a routine ground ball. The righthander was struggling before the injury, surrendering six runs - five earned - and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.