Toronto @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2010 ) Toronto 2, Chi. White Sox 0

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} A sore neck forced Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to scratch Paul Konerko from the lineup on Thursday.

It was only fitting. Konerko’s been a pain in the neck to the opposing pitchers all season long.

Konerko expects to be back in the lineup tonight when the White Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Blue Jays won the opener 2-0 behind a brilliant performance from Dana Eveland on Thursday.

Konerko, batting .272 with 25 RBIs, has been a pleasant surprise for the White Sox this season. He leads the majors with 12 home runs and is making a case to receive yet another large contract.

Konerko, 34, is in the fifth and final year of a $60 million deal with the White Sox. Guillen shook his head in amazement at his slugger’s propensity for posting big numbers in his walk years. He hit 40 home runs and drove in 100 runs in 2005 before his latest deal.

Mark Kotsay filled in for Konerko on Thursday and backups Ramon Castro and Jayson Nix were in Chicago’s anemic makeshift lineup. While Castro went hitless in his first action of the season, second baseman Gordon Beckham, designated hitter Carlos Quentin, Kotsay and Nix are all batting under .200.

The Blue Jays carry a five-game winning streak into today’s game after Eveland combined with two relievers to limit the White Sox to just three hits in Thursday’s win. Fred Lewis’s double in the fifth accounted for both Toronto runs and Kevin Gregg notched his eighth save of the year in as many chances.

Shaun Marcum, who recorded his first victory since 2008 in his last outing, will start for the Blue Jays, who are 10-3 on the road. Marcum hurled 6 1/3 innings in a 9-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

The Blue Jays also welcomed back designated hitter Randy Ruiz, who missed the previous series for personal reasons.