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* The Twins have four players with at least 20 home runs (Morneau, Mauer, Cuddyer, Kubel) for the first time since their 1987 World Series-winning season (Hrbek, Brunansky, Gaetti, Puckett).
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* Gordon Beckham leads all
* Gavin Floyd is 7-3 with a 2.77 ERA in 16 starts going back to June 1, ranking third in the
* Denard Span is batting .438 (21/48) over his last 12 games, with six extra-base hits and eight RBI.
* The Yankees have won five of their last seven games at home against the White Sox. The Yankees outscored the White Sox 53-28 in those seven games.
* The Yankees are hitting .295 in August; it's their highest average in a month this season.
* Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano are tied for the American League lead with 13 multi-hit games in August.
* CC Sabathia's 15 wins against the White Sox are tied for the most against any opponent in his career.
* The White Sox are 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts in their last 11 games.
* Scott Podsednik has hit safely in nine straight road games.
* The White Sox dropped a 5-4 decision to the Orioles yesterday and have now alternated wins and losses in each of their last eight games (WLWLWLWL). Chicago is just 5-13 on the road since July 4.
* Boston lost, 8-4, to the Yankees last night and dropped its first series at home since losing two of three to the Mariners, July 3-5. Overall, the Red Sox have won 11 of the last 15 meetings between these two teams since 2007.
* Jose Contreras is 3-2 with a 3.45 ERA following a White Sox loss since returning from the minors on June 8. Contreras has 10 career starts vs. the Red Sox and is 3-4 with an 8.14 ERA in those outings.
* Clay Buchholz lost his only career start vs. the White Sox last August (3 IP, 5 ER allowed) and is just 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in his last four home starts. Buchholz hasn't won a game at Fenway Park since May 2, 2008 vs. the Rays.
* David Ortiz was held out of yesterday's game vs. the Yankees, but is sure to be in the lineup tonight. "Big Papi" has gone deep five times in his last eight games and since June 6, has 19 home runs overall - tied for most among all AL players since that date.
* White Sox starting pitchers have posted a combined ERA of just 3.56 on the road since June 12 (6.07 ERA in first 27 road games of 2009).
* These teams have split 12 games in their season series in 2009. The White Sox have won 10 of their last 14 home games against the Royals.
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* The White Sox have won their last 10 home games against the Royals in which Mark Buehrle was their starting pitcher. Buehrle is 0-3 with a 5.81 ERA in four starts since pitching his perfect game on July 23.
* Brian Bannister is 0-2 with a 12.60 ERA in his last two starts. Bannister is 1-7 with a 7.63 ERA in his last eight starts in the month of August.
* Since August 3, Billy Butler has driven in 14 runs which are tied for the third most in the majors in that span.
* Jim Thome has three homers, one double and seven RBI in his last five home games. Thome has 43 career home runs against the Royals which are the most by any player all-time.
