Chicago (20-20) at Minnesota (22-18)

Mark Buehrle looks to turn his season around as the Chicago White Sox open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.

Buehrle began the season 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA before losing his last five starts. He is 2-6 overall record despite a respectable 3.86 ERA.

The 24-year-old Buehrle has not received much support as Chicago is averaging 1.6 runs in Buehrle’s last five starts.

Buehrle—who led the White Sox with 19 wins and 3.58 ERA last season—and Esteban Loaiza are the only two Chicago starters with ERA’s below 4.00.

Chicago is hoping Buehrle can follow Bartolo Colon’s strong outing and get the White Sox above the .500-mark.

Colon allowed five hits and Magglio Ordonez keyed a six-run seventh with a bases-loaded triple in an 8-2 win against Baltimore on Thursday. Colon walked one and struck out five in eight innings.

The victory gave the White Sox a three-game sweep and got them back to .500 for the first time in 12 days.

The Twins are comin goff a 9-5 loss in 14 innings to Central Division-leading Kansas City on Thursday, as the teams split a four-game series.

Cristian Guzman went 4-for-7 for Minnesota, which stranded 13 runners and squandered numerous chances to take the lead throughout the 4-hour, 54-minute game.

“A very long ballgame,” manager Ron Gardenhire said, “and not very well-played by us.”

Mientkiewicz, the Twins’ regular first baseman, played right field for the second straight game because of injuries to outfielders Bobby Kielty (strained ribcage) and Jacques Jones (strained quadriceps).

Jones pinch hit, finishing 0-for-1 on the night. He leads the team with a .338 average and six stolen bases.

STANDINGS: White Sox - 3rd place, 4 1/2 GB, AL Central. Twins - 2nd place, 2 1/2 GB, AL Central.

WHITE SOX PROBABLE STARTER: Buehrle (2-6, 3.86 ERA). Buehrle went five innings, allowing five runs—four earned—and walking six as the White Sox lost to Seattle 7-2 on Sunday.

TWINS PROBABLE STARTER: Brad Radke (4-3, 5.85 ERA). Radke is 8-8 with a 4.49 ERA in 23 career starts against Chicago. The veteran right-hander is 3-0 despite a 5.21 ERA over his last three starts. Radke was roughed up for five runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings but still earned a win as the Twins beat Boston 9-8 on Sunday.

OFFENSIVE LEADERS: White Sox - D’Angelo Jimenez, .303 avg.; Frank Thomas, 9 HRs; Magglio Ordonez, 28 RBIs and 4 SBs.; Thomas, Ordonez and Carlos Lee, 20 runs. Twins - Jacques Jones, .338 avg., 27 runs and 6 SBs.; four players tied with 5 HRs; Corey Koskie, 26 RBIs.

SEASON SERIES: White Sox, 2-1.

STREAKS AND NOTES: White Sox - DH Thomas is 8-for-15 with three home runs over the last four games. … Chicago has scored 167 runs—fewer than only Cleveland and Detroit in the AL. … In April, Chicago and Minnesota benches cleared when RHP Jon Garland hit 1B Mientkiewicz, who suggested earlier in the season that the White Sox shouldn’t have the privilege of hosting the All-Star game this season after a fan ran onto the field and tried to attack umpire Laz Diaz. Twins - Minnesota has scored at least seven runs in each of Radke’s last three starts. Radke has a 10.80 ERA in four starts at the Metrodome… SS Guzman leads the majors with seven triples. … LHP Eddie Guardado has converted all eight of his save opportunities

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: White Sox - 7-11 on the road; Twins - 10-10 at home.

INJURIES: White Sox - None. Twins - RHP Mike Fetters (hamstring), 15-day DL; LHP Eric Milton (knee), 60-day DL.