Twins making White Sox sweat

Almost a month ago the White Sox completed a four-game sweep of second-place Minnesota to grab a good amount of breathing room in the A.L. Central race.

Ever since it has been the Twins breathing down their back.

Trailing Cleveland 5-2 Saturday night, Minnesota rallied for another win, this time 9-6. Pretty soon it might be time for the White Sox to don oxygen masks, because that breathing room - 6 games after the sweep in June - is about gone.

The White Sox have been up and down since the Twins series - two three-game losing skids, a seven-game winning streak and at 13-11 overall they certainly haven't given the lead away.

But the Twins can't lose.

They improved to 15-2 in their last 17 games with Saturday's win. At 49-38, they sit a game behind the White Sox, who are impressed.

"They always play great," White Sox third baseman Joe Crede said. "To me it's (Minnesota's hot streak) no surprise. They have great pitching, great defense."

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen often speaks highly of his Minnesota counterpart Ron Gardenhire, and he did it again Saturday.

"They play the game right, they have a couple guys in the middle who are a real danger, and the guys in the rest of the lineup do what they are supposed to do," Guillen said. "I just worry about them when they play us. We've played good against them this year."

The White Sox-A's game started five minutes ahead of the Twins-Indians game Saturday, and Minnesota entered with a chance to tie the White Sox for first place.

Center fielder Brian Anderson said July 5 is too early for him to scoreboard watch.

"I personally don't," Anderson said. "I can't speak for other guys. Minnesota has a bunch of scrappy guys. They are just a good ball club."

The White Sox and Twins play seven more times in the second half, all in Minnesota.

"We have to worry about ourselves," Crede said. "We have 70-some games to go. We have to worry about taking care of things in this clubhouse."