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Another Sox loss to another strong starter

The White Sox lost their fifth straight game Saturday, and coupled with the Twins' win over Oakland, they are 10 games off the pace in the AL Central.

Minnesota also reduced its magic number for clinching the division to 5, so it's just a matter of time before the Sox are eliminated officially.

Rather than blame his own players for the current slide, Sox manager Ozzie Guillen credits the opposing starting pitchers.

"We've faced pretty good pitchers the last couple days," Guillen said. "But we've battled. They go out there and play hard."

In Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers, the White Sox scored 3 runs off starter Justin Verlander in the fifth inning to tie the game. With two on and two outs in the eighth, Chris Sale came on in relief and served up a 3-run homer to pinch hitter Scott Sizemore.

"This kid (Sale) has been great," Guillen said. "(Sizemore) is the last guy I thought would hit a home run, but that's the way we roll right now."

Lucas Harrell started for the Sox and allowed 3 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings. Harrell gave up 2 runs in the first inning, and he allowed 6 runs in the first during his last start, against Kansas City.

"Compared to my last start, I'd say it went a lot better," Harrell said. "In the first inning I didn't get ahead in the count and the result was I got hit around."

Thanks for the memories: Nancy Faust was honored before Saturday's game. Faust has been the White Sox' organist since 1970, and she is retiring at the end of the season.

In the pregame ceremony, Harold Baines presented Faust with a plaque, and she also received an all-inclusive vacation.

"It is a huge honor to have my career topped off with this celebration," Faust said.

Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Faust was deserving of the celebration.

"I've seen a lot of tributes, but if one person deserves a tribute it's her," Guillen said. "She means a lot to this organization."

Take a seat: Mired in a 3-for-26 slump, Carlos Quentin was held out of the White Sox' starting lineup Saturday for the second straight game.

"I think this kid, to me, I have been managing him for a while, I think it's mental more than anything," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's so good a player he doesn't even know how good he is.

"He puts so much pressure on himself. He pushed himself too hard. In baseball you have to go backward. You have to play hard in baseball, but you don't have to think that hard."

Second chance: Mark Teahen was back in right field in place of Carlos Quentin on Saturday.

In Friday's loss to Detroit, Teahen made a bad defensive play in right and also went 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts.

If the White Sox decide to cut ties with Quentin at the end of the season, Teahen could emerge as their starting right fielder in 2011.

"I'm going to get him some at-bats," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He missed two months, three months (with a fractured finger).

"Having Manny (Ramirez) as DH I have to move people around. The only way I will get (Teahen) some at-bats is to play right field, and we'll see how he handles it."