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Garcia looks to continue success of White Sox starters

CHICAGO -- The starting pitching that helped make the
Chicago White Sox World Series champions last year has carried
over to April.

Freddy Garcia will try to continue an impressive string of
dominant starts for the White Sox, who will host the second of
three games against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Chicago's rotation has combined to allow just two runs and 13
hits in 29 1/3 innings since Garcia (2-1, 7.80 ERA) last took
the mound Sunday. Last year, the White Sox ranked second in the
American League with a 3.61 ERA en route to a circuit-best 99
wins.

Mark Buehrle provided the most recent gem for the White Sox,
outdueling 2004 AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana with
eight strong innings of a 7-1 win in Friday's series opener.

Jim Thome connected for a two-run homer in the sixth inning and
needs one more blast to tie the franchise mark of nine in April,
established by Frank Thomas in 1996.

Garcia, who posted a 1.96 ERA in three starts vs. Minnesota last
year, has won his last two starts after surrendering seven runs
and nine hits in four innings of an 8-2 loss to Cleveland on
April 4. With his next triumph, he will tie former White Sox
Wilson Alvarez for most wins by a native of Venezuela (102).

The White Sox will look to extend their winning streak to seven
games when they face Brad Radke (2-1, 6.63), who allowed six
runs and 10 hits in six innings of a 9-3 loss to the New York
Yankees on Sunday. Radke went 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in three
starts vs. Chicago last year.

Lew Ford homered on Friday for the Twins, who rank 12th in the
AL with 16 home runs.

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