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White Sox try to get back on track in opener with Bucs

Tue 17th, June 2008

(Sports Network) - The American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox will continue a six-game homestand this evening, when they welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates to town for three straight interleague games at U.S. Cellular Field.

The White Sox have dropped five of six games and lost the last two installments of a three-game series versus the Colorado Rockies over the weekend. They surprisingly have a 4 1/2-game advantage over Minnesota in the Central standings despite Sunday's 5-3 defeat, in which Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer and Alexei Ramirez went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Pale Hose starter Jose Contreras gave up four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of work to absorb the loss.

Chicago, which is 21-11 in the Windy City this season, currently sports a major league-best 3.33 team earned run average.

Javier Vazquez will try to keep Chicago's ERA down when he takes the ball on Tuesday. Vazquez has won three of his previous five decisions, but dropped his most recent start Wednesday at Detroit. He yielded five runs and 10 hits through six innings of a 5-1 setback.

Vazquez, a right-hander, is 4-3 with a 4.76 ERA in 12 career starts against the Pirates.

In injury news for the White Sox, first baseman Paul Konerko strained a muscle near his ribs and chest wall while taking batting practice Sunday and could be headed for the disabled list. He is hitting .215 with eight homers and 30 runs batted in this season.

Pittsburgh has won seven of its last 12 games and salvaged the finale of a three-game series against Baltimore over the weekend with Sunday's 5-4, 10- inning victory. Adam LaRoche plated the game-winning run with an RBI single in the 10th to lead the Buccos, who are 13-21 on the road this season.

Nate McLouth belted a home run and Jason Michaels added a two-run single for the Pirates, while reliever Matt Capps pitched two innings for the win. Paul Maholm started for Pittsburgh and surrendered two runs in six-plus innings.

Ian Snell will shoot for back-to-back winning starts when he takes the ball for the Pirates on Tuesday. Snell posted his first win since April 12 his last time out Wednesday versus Washington, hurling six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 victory. He had lost four straight starts and six consecutive decisions.

In a 4-2 loss to the White Sox on June 27, 2006, Snell yielded three runs and 10 hits in five frames to suffer the setback.

Pittsburgh won two of three games versus Chicago at PNC Park last season, while the White Sox are 9-5 in this series since 1998. The White Sox are also an impressive 108-91 all-time against the National League.

The Pirates are 58-96 in their games played versus the Junior Circuit.

Where the players come to play and STAY.