(Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox haven't been playing great baseball over the past few weeks, but were able to trim their deficit in the American League Central standings with last night's win over the Baltimore Orioles.
The White Sox hope to get some more help from around the league as they continue a three-game series with Baltimore Wednesday from U.S. Cellular Field. They improved to 5-10 in their past 15 games with yesterday's 7-5 victory over the O's, as Gordon Beckham slammed a three-run homer during a four-run seventh inning and Juan Pierre ended with three hits and two runs batted in.
"Anytime you can hit a home run is always nice, and to get the lead at that point was big for us," Beckham said after helping Chicago pull within 3 1/2 games of AL Central-leading Minnesota. The Twins lost to Texas on Tuesday.
White Sox starter Gavin Floyd did his job on the mound by pitching seven innings of two-run ball, striking out six and issuing a pair of walks. Bobby Jenks later closed the door in the ninth for his 24th save of the season.
Mark Buehrle has won two straight starts and six of his past eight decisions and will take the mound Wednesday for the Pale Hose. Buehrle is coming off seven shutout innings at Minnesota last Thursday and pushed his 2010 record to 12-9 in 25 starts to go along with a 3.87 ERA.
The left-hander is 6-2 in 11 home starts this season and 5-4 with a 2.81 ERA in 15 career games (13 starts) against Baltimore. He lost to the Orioles at Camden Yards on August 8 of this season, though, as he yielded four runs -- three earned -- and 10 hits in seven innings of a 4-3 setback.
Baltimore has lost two straight and seven of its last 10 games and got a rough outing from starter Jeremy Guthrie in last night's series opener. He allowed six runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings to suffer his 13th loss of the season (7-13). Guthrie entered the game with a 2.19 ERA over his past seven trips to the hill.
"They're operating on all cylinders as far as the want-to," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of the White Sox. "It's not always going to be a perfect start, but I thought [Guthrie] gave us an opportunity to win."
Felix Pie finished 3-for-4 and Luke Scott homered for Baltimore.
Getting the nod for Showalter's club this evening will be Brian Matusz, who is 5-12 with a 4.97 ERA in 25 starts this season. Matusz has won two of his last three decisions and defeated Texas his last time out on Thursday, as he tossed eight shutout innings and allowed five hits with six K's.
Matusz rebounded nicely from a four-inning, five-run stint in a loss at Tampa Bay on August 14. The lefty, who is 3-5 in 12 road starts this season, recently faced the White Sox for the first time in a 3-2 win on August 9, but did not record a decision after he held Chicago to one run in six innings.
The Orioles have won three of five contests with the White Sox this season -- all at Camden Yards. Baltimore is 6-3 in the past nine meetings in this series.