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Losing all three games at Wrigley Field last weekend left the Chicago White Sox anxious for a rematch against the crosstown Cubs. A win in Sunday’s series finale could be the perfect redemption. The White Sox look to complete their first three-game sweep of the Cubs in nearly nine years on Sunday night in the conclusion of the teams’ interleague series at U.S. Cellular Field. The AL Central-leading White Sox (45-35,+8.8 units) weren’t at their best in losing three games to the Cubs at Wrigley last weekend, with manager Ozzie Guillen acknowledging that the team “played terrible” in the series. The White Sox, however, have taken the first two games of the current set, winning Friday’s opener 10-3 and hitting three homers, including Carlos Quentin’s tie-breaking drive in the seventh in a 6-5 win on Saturday. That victory moved the Pale Hose to 13-2 at home in June. “That was an exciting game, a lot of fun, and really what this series is all about,” White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski told the team’s official Web site. Closer Bobby Jenks allowed lead-off double in the top of the ninth and retired the next three Cubs batters to preserve the win. The Sox are 15-2 in home games with a hot bullpen whose WHIP is under 1.000 the last five games this season. Jermaine Dye, the reigning AL player of the week, added a three-run homer and has hit .435 (20-for-46) with eight home runs and 22 RBIs over his last 12 games. Saturday’s win was the White Sox’s fourth in five games, and gave them a one-game lead over Minnesota in the Central. The White Sox are now in a position to sweep their crosstown rivals for the first time since taking three straight at Wrigley Field from June 11-13, 1999. That is the only time they have swept the Cubs since the inception of interleague play in 1997. The South Siders are 11-6 against the National League in 2008. The Cubs (49-32, +11.1), meanwhile, have lost seven of their last 11 contests, but remain atop the NL Central. They will be trying to avoid their first four-game losing streak of the season. “It’s not fun right now, but we’re going to bounce back,” said Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, who tied a career high with five hits and drove in three runs Saturday. The Cubbies are 8-16 as visitors after two or more consecutive road games this season. Lee has hit .319 (29-for-91) with three homers and 15 RBIs in 25 games versus the White Sox, going 5-for-9 (.556) with a homer against Sunday’s starter Mark Buehrle (5-6, 4.04, 1.309 WHIP).The left-hander has gotten back in the groove and is 3-0 with a 1.41 ERA in his last four starts, pitching eight innings in each outing.
The White Sox have won each of Buehrle’s last three home starts, a stretch in which he has gone 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA. Though he’s struggled the last couple of seasons, the lefthander has been one of the most dominant pitchers at home and Buehrle and the White Sox are 76-36 as home favorites. He hasn’t been as dominant against the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field, going 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA in three matchups.
The Cubs counter with Sean Marshall (0-1, 5.40), who is making his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take the roster spot of ace Carlos Zambrano (strained right shoulder). The left-hander, who compiled a 4.15 ERA in 13 relief appearances for the Cubs earlier this year, fanned seven, but also yielded four runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-5 home loss to Baltimore on Tuesday. Bookmaker.com has the White Sox as -135 money line favorites, with total listed at Un9 at U.S. Cellular Field. Ozzie Guillen’s club is 13-4 in their last 17 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. The Cubs have offered little resistance on the road as 16-22 record suggests and are 3-13 in traveling uniforms if home team has winning record.
The first two games have gone OVER the total and the North Siders have played five in a row. The White Sox are 16-6 OVER as a favorite of -125 to -175 this season and home plate umpire Rob Drake is 14-2 OVER in interleague games.
ESPN has the coverage at 8 Eastern.
LAURA MEDINA, STATS Writer contributed to this article.
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