Twins want new streak vs. White Sox

[Durango53]

Minnesota (8-4) at Chicago (8-4), 7:05 p.m. CT

The Twins, after having their six-game win streak cracked in Sunday's series finale in Cleveland, continue their five-game road trip Monday in Chicago, where they'll play the first of two games against the White Sox.

Kyle Lohse will start for Minnesota against Chicago's Jose Contreras.

Lohse, who was a winner in his last start April 13, allowed four runs and eight hits with a walk and six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in an 8-4 win over Detroit on April 13. The right-hander lost his first start to Chicago on April 8, in a 5-1 final. He allowed four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Minnesota is coming off back-to-back, three-game series wins over Detroit and Cleveland and have won six of seven following Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Indians.

[Durango53]

GAME: Minnesota Twins (8-4) at Chicago White Sox (8-4).

TIME: Monday, 8:05 p.m. EDT.

Scott Podsednik hopes to return to the lineup for the Chicago White Sox when they begin a two-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

Podsednik has missed the last five games with a strained right groin. The left fielder is batting .280 (7-for-25) with a team-high four stolen bases through his seven games with Chicago.

"If he feels fine, he will start. It's up to him," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "It all depends on how he feels."

The White Sox decided to add Podsednik and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi in the offseason because of the way the Twins have used speed as a major weapon to capture three straight American League Central Division titles. Iguchi snapped out off a 1-for-17 slump with a 3-for-3 effort in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Seattle.

Chicago missed a chance to record its first three-game sweep of the season as it lost for the first time in six one-run games. The White Sox tried to use their speed to get in position to tie the game, but pinch-runner Willie Harris was caught stealing second for the game's final out.

Podsednik and Iguchi combined to bat .313 with four runs scored when Chicago won two of three at the Metrodome from April 8-10. White Sox starters compiled a 4.05 ERA in the three games.

Minnesota had its six-game winning streak snapped Sunday with a 2-1 loss at Cleveland. An error by Twins third baseman Michael Cuddyer helped lead to the go-ahead run for the Indians in the eighth inning.

"Every time you miss a play late in the game, it always seems to cost you," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

The Twins were still satisfied with capturing their second straight series.

"It was a good win for us, as far as the series goes," Cuddyer said. "Anytime you win a series, that's our goal. We try to win as many series as we can."

[Durango53]

TWINS PROBABLE STARTER: Kyle Lohse (1-1, 6.17 ERA). Lohse allowed four runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings in Wednesday's 8-4 win over Detroit. The 26-year-old right-hander is 7-4 with a 3.89 ERA against Chicago in 18 appearances, including 17 starts. Last season, Lohse went 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA in three starts against the White Sox.

MIN: RHP Kyle Lohsehttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/346798.jpg
• 1-1, 6.17 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 6.75 ERA in 2005 vs. CWS

CWS: RHP Jose Contrerashttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/425747.jpg
• 0-0, 3.55 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 4.97 ERA in 2004 vs. MIN


WHITE SOX PROBABLE STARTER: Jose Contreras (0-0, 3.55 ERA). Still looking for his first win of the season, Contreras is making his first career start against the Twins. He allowed four runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings Wednesday at Cleveland in a 5-4 Twins win. Contreras is 2-1 with a 3.29 ERA in seven career starts at U.S. Cellular Field.

[Durango53]

STANDINGS: Twins - tied for 1st place, AL Central. White Sox - tied for 1st place, AL Central.

[Durango53]

OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Twins - Jacque Jones, .353 avg.; Torii Hunter, 3 HRs, 12 RBIs, 8 runs and 4 SBs. White Sox - Carl Everett, .317 avg.; Paul Konerko, 6 HRs; Everett and Konerko, 11 RBIs; Konerko and Aaron Rowand, 7 runs; Podsednik, 4 SBs.

[Durango53]

SEASON SERIES: White Sox, 2-1.

[Durango53]

STREAKS AND NOTES: Twins - DH Matt LeCroy is batting .310 (9-for-29) with six RBIs in his first eight games. ... Minnesota gave C Corky Miller went 0-for-3 in his second start of the season Sunday. ... OF Hunter hit .321 (9-for-28) with four homers and seven RBIs in eight games at U.S. Cellular Field last season. White Sox - 1B Konerko is batting .100 (4-for-40) career against Lohse. ... OF Rowand is batting .182 (2-for-11) against Minnesota this season. ... C A.J. Pierzynski is 4-for-28 over his last seven games.

[Durango53]

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Twins - 4-2 on the road; White Sox - 4-2 at home.

[Durango53]

Player to watch
Matthew LeCroy has hit safely in seven of eight games and is batting .310 (9-for-29) with one homer and six RBIs. He was 1-for-4 Sunday.

[Durango53]

Quotable
"It was a good win for us, as far as the series goes. Anytime you win a series, that's our goal. We try to win as many series as we can." -- Twins 3B Michael Cuddyer

[Durango53]

Quick hits
Cuddyer is 1-for-3 and has a four-game hit streak. He's also hit in six of seven games. ... the Twins are 6-3 vs. the AL Central this season. ... Twins opponents have scored first in 10 of the first 12 games this season.

[Durango53]

On television
• MIN: FSN North
• CWS: FSN

On radio
• MIN: WCCO 830-AM
• CWS: ESPN 1000-AM

[T-Wolves]

I'll be watching this one tonight for sure.
This outa be a great series because of how poorly they did in the last series a couple weeks ago.

[curt4074]

I wish i could watch the twins :( But I am quite worried about this game, I hate looking at probable starters and seeing Lohse's name.... he needs to get his shit together, or i say CUT HIM and keep Gassner

[Timberwolf]

Twins are coming off a very good series against the Indians this weekend. With that said, the Twins can't rest their laurels because they got She-ca-go for a two-game series starting tonight. This is a huge series. Twins gotta make a statement against those guys. It's pretty obvious that team does not respect us despite the fact the She-ca-go are the Twins daddy since 2001. It would be nice to win both and send a message. Twins need to make a statement IMO.

She-ca-go has played well. They are getting very good pitching from the entire starting rotation. Can they keep it up? It will be interesting to see what happens.

Kyle Lohse needs to pitch well here. With Dave Gassner pitching well Saturday, Kyle Lohse needs to step up or risk losing his spot to Gassner. Kyle has done okay, but okay is not going to be good enough. This is an opportunity for him to make a statement tonight.

Conteras vs. Lohse

[curt4074]

TYPICAL LOHSE


ugh... gardy has to realize we are gonna have to burn some bullpen on Lohse's starts...he just isn't a 6 inning pitcher.... let him go 5, and take him out!

[Chisox73]

With the White Sox pitching tonight,i'm completely shocked that you guys aren't up 9-3 right now.

[Durango53]

Coming in late on this one. Working late and across the state today. So just seeing scoring updates. I am stuck with the Rox. :(

[curt4074]

With the White Sox pitching tonight,i'm completely shocked that you guys aren't up 9-3 right now.


The twins have not taken advantage of oppportunities...Bases Loaded TWICE with 1 out... No runs scored in those innings....

[Durango53]

Sounds like some cluch hitting has left the Twins for this game.

[Timberwolf]

This was a very dissapointing loss tonight. Twins had runners in scoring position in the first, fifth, and the sixth inning. They did not get that big hit to drive them home. That's what lost them the game tonight. That is so frustrating. She-ca-go starter Jose Conteras was having control problems in the fifth, but the Twins could not get that big hit. That's why they loss the game. Could not get the big hit.

Kyle Lohse did a fine job. I know he gave up that GW HR and he gave up three HRs, but he was ahead of the count and he was throwing strikes. What he did was fine. I will take it. Had he gotten some run support tonight, maybe he would have relaxed and got it done. Kyle obviously is not a finished product. I would love to see him go really deep in the game and learn to pitch a tight game like tonight. That's something he has gotta learn.

Matt Guerrier was great in relief.

I thought Joe Mauer had a great game. Shannon was solid.

Torii made some good catches defensively.

She-ca-go fans need to get over Torii's collission with Jamie Burke from last year. Maybe if Jamie Burke was smart enough to get out of the way, the collision would never have happened. With that said, it was funny to see FSN North show that clip of the collision from last year several times.

Just a sidenote, it was nice to see Kent Hrbek in the telecast. He spoke to Dick and Bert in the sixth inning. Kent talked about how it's a good thing to see the Twins and She-ca-go hate each other. He ripped that buffoon, Ken Harrelson pretty good tonight. When Kent was a player, Ken Harrelson and Kent apparently got into it and Kent almost punched him in 1991. Kent also raved about Joe Mauer's ability as a player and catcher. Great interview for sure.

This was a bad loss. Twins blew it. I really hate it when the offense come up lame especially in RISP. Great teams don't blow opportunities like the Twins had tonight. If you want to win a game or championship, you gotta score with RISP.

Must-win game tommorow and it won't be easy with El Duque on the mound for She-ca-go.