(Sports Network) - Early-season standout Carlos Silva puts a six-start win streak on the line today when the Chicago Cubs host the crosstown rival White Sox in the middle game of a three-game interleague series at Wrigley Field.
The White Sox drew first blood, 10-5, on Friday, as A.J. Pierzynski finished 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBI. Alex Rios was 4-for-4, hit a two-run homer and scored three times for the victors, who have won three in a row and four of five overall.
Jake Peavy (5-5) went seven innings for the win, allowing six hits and two runs with five strikeouts.
Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run shot and drove in three runs for the Cubs, who have dropped three of four.
Randy Wells (3-5) was tagged in defeat for 10 hits and five runs while fanning six and walking three over five full frames.
Silva, who entered the season four games below .500 in 297 career major-league appearances, was 2-0 after his initial five starts in 2010 before starting a skein that's seen him win six straight while allowing 35 hits and 12 runs in 36 innings.
He's ratcheted things up a notch over the last two outings in particular, downing St. Louis and Pittsburgh while giving up just six hits and one run and walking one batter and striking out 16 in 14 innings.
The 31-year-old is just 4-10 in 19 career matchups with the White Sox, posting a 5.52 earned run average in 101 innings. The 13-game winner in 2007 with Minnesota had won just five times over 36 games in 2008-09 with Seattle.
For the White Sox, lefty Mark Buehrle tries to end a three-start drought since his last victory on May 21.
The former 38th-round draft pick (1998) picked up his third win of the season at home against Florida, but is 0-1 with a pair of no-decisions since while being touched for 23 hits and 12 runs in 10 2/3 innings.
He's pitched six innings or more seven times in 12 starts this season while allowing three earned runs or less five times.
Lifetime against the Cubs, Buehrle is 4-4 with a 4.58 ERA in 11 starts. He's 0-4 in five road starts in 2010, however, allowing 34 hits and 21 runs in 26 innings.
The White Sox won their season series with the Cubs a year ago, taking four of the six matchups.