Chicago @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2015 ) Chi. White Sox 0, Minnesota 3

Minnesota Twins slugger Miguel Sano was named the American League Rookie of the Month for August on Wednesday and showed it was no fluke by homering in his third consecutive game later that evening. Sano and the Twins look to continue their home dominance of the Chicago White Sox when they go for a three-game sweep Thursday afternoon.

Despite dealing with a mild hamstring strain, Sano has eight homers and 17 RBIs over his last 14 contests for Minnesota, which is one game behind Texas for the second wild card. The Twins boast a 42-25 record at home and have fattened that mark at the expense of the White Sox, winning eight of nine meetings this season at Target Field. Chicago has lost seven of 10 overall and been shut out three times in its last seven games. The White Sox face a nemesis Thursday in Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson, who has beaten them twice this season while allowing one run in 16 innings.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.85 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (9-9, 3.82)

The dog days of August applied to Samardzija, who lost all six of his starts last month and was knocked around for at least five runs in all but one of those outings. He took the loss against Seattle on Saturday after permitting five runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings for the second consecutive turn. Samardzija gave up at least one homer in four straight outings and has been taken deep eight times during the six-start skid.

Gibson knows what it's like to suffer through a lengthy winless drought - he broke a seven-start dry spell by blanking the Houston Astros on four hits over 5 2/3 innings in his outing. Pitching deep into games has been an issue for the 27-year-old Gibson, who has failed to get through six innings in six of his last eight starts. Gibson has held Melky Cabrera hitless in 11 at-bats while also stifling Jose Abreu (1-for-9).

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins 1B Joe Mauer has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games.

2. Cabrera is 3-for-31 in his last eight games against Minnesota.

3. Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe had a two-run double Wednesday to improve to 6-for-11 with 19 RBIs in bases-loaded situations this season.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, White Sox 3