Minnesota @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 6, Minnesota 7
While almost two months remain in the season, the upcoming week will be crucial to determine who wins the AL Central.
Beginning on Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins face each other six times in the next 10 days. The teams are tied for first place in a division that has become a two-team race. They play three night contests in a series that ends Thursday in Chicago and meet again for three games next week at Target Field.
The teams haven't played in U.S. Cellular Field since April 9-11, when the Twins claimed two of the three contests. Minnesota has won six of the nine games so far, but most of that came before Chicago became the hottest team in baseball - a run that turned what looked to be a lost season into a charge to the top of the division.
The White Sox are 39-16 since June 9 and have been nearly unbeatable at home, where they have won 20 of their last 22 games.
The Twins have also been hot after stumbling into the All-Star break. The Twins are 17-7 since the Midsummer Classic, including winning three of four from the White Sox last month.
Chicago fell into a tie atop the division after dropping a 3-2 decision Monday night when Brian Roberts belted a leadoff homer off J.J. Putz in the 10th inning. As a result, the White Sox dropped three of four to the lowly Baltimore Orioles.
Freddy Garcia starts on Tuesday for Chicago. Early in the season, most observers thought the veteran right-hander would have been handed his walking papers by now. Not only has that not happened, he has become one of manager Ozzie Guillen's most reliable starters.
Garcia has been pitching well for nearly two months.
He's 10-2 in his last 12 decisions and is giving Guillen quality and quantity. In his last 12 starts, Garcia has pitched into the seventh inning on five occasions and at least six innings eight times. He also has allowed three runs or less on 10 occasions in that stretch of 12 starts.
Garcia is 1-1 in three starts against the Twins this season. He has allowed seven earned runs and 23 hits in 20 innings. Garcia defeated Minnesota on May 11 at Target Field, allowing two runs and nine hits in seven innings.
Garcia has allowed home runs to Jason Kubel, Delmon Young and Justin Morneau, who hasn't played in over a month because of a concussion.
Scott Baker dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in his last start, but was denied a win when his bullpen couldn't hold a lead in the ninth inning. He pitched eight scoreless innings and held the Rays to three hits. It will be his first start against the White Sox this season.
Catcher Joe Mauer is heating up at the right time for the Twins. He had a four-hit game against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night and is batting .383 (41-for-107) with 25 RBIs in his last 27 games.