Seattle @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 27, 2010 ) Seattle 0, Chi. White Sox 11

Frank Thomas was beaming again. The one-time face of the Chicago White Sox was back with the team four years after leaving unceremoniously in 2006 for the Oakland Athletics.

He had to like what the White Sox did to the Seattle Mariners, too.

Chicago goes for its third straight win over the Mariners on Wednesday night. The White Sox (55-44) are one game ahead of Minnesota for the American League Central lead and will be looking for their 10th consecutive home victory, something they have not done since April 15-May 2, 2006.

Now retired, Thomas was chosen Tuesday as the White Sox’s new ambassador and will join the team’s speakers bureau. He also will have his No. 35 jersey retired by the team Aug. 29 against the New York Yankees.

His nickname, "The Big Hurt", accurately sums up the Mariners' recent woes.

Seattle starter Rowland-Smith fell to 1-10 on the season when he was bludgeoned for a club record-tying 11 runs on 11 hits in Tuesday’s 11-0 Chicago shutout. The left-hander gave up seven extra-base hits: a three-run homer to Andruw Jones, a two-run shot by Alexei Ramirez, a solo homer by Paul Konerko and two doubles apiece to Dayan Viciedo and A.J. Pierzynski

Rowland-Smith was down 4-0 after one inning and 7-0 after two, but he was forced to stay in because of a thin Mariners’ bullpen.

The Mariners have been extremely patient with Rowland-Smith, but his time in the rotation may soon be over. The bigger question might be if manager Don Wakamatsu, whose club is now a season-worst 23 games under .500, has lost the team.

Seattle simply seems to be going through the motions in this series after winning back-to-back weekend games at home against the Boston Red Sox. Those wins followed a dugout melee in the fifth inning Friday night precipitated by Wakamatsu benching Chone Figgins.

The White Sox will attempt to win the series Wednesday, sending Mark Buehrle (9-8. 3.96 ERA) against Seattle’s Jason Vargas (6-5, 2.94).

Buehrle’s numbers have been deceiving. He lost five consecutive decisions from mid-April to mid-May but is 6-2 with a 2.20 ERA in his last eight outings. He is 6-0 with a 3.34 ERA in eight career home starts against Seattle.

Vargas is seventh in the American League in ERA, and might have 10 or more wins on a decent club. He has gotten two runs or fewer in his last seven starts. He allowed two runs in seven innings against Boston on Friday, but lost 2-1.

Vargas threw 6 2/3 innings of four-hit ball against the White Sox on April 25 but ended up with a no-decision.