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CHICAGO - White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and his players insist there will be no hangover after two weekend series against the Cubs.
The Sox open the second half of the season with a bigger task ahead of them, starting Monday night with a three-game series against defending American League Central champion Cleveland.
"It's good to get it over with, and it will be good to get back into our division and get focused on trying to win our division and get into the playoffs instead of being focused on, 'Oh, my God, are you going to beat the Cubs?''' catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.
"It's like life or death. It will be good for this team (to return to AL play). And hopefully we can keep up the way we've been going and the way we've been playing."
The Sox lead the AL Central partly on the strength of their 21-11 division record, including a 15-3 mark against those foes at U.S. Cellular Field. They built a lead as large as 6<SUP>1</SUP>/<SUB>2</SUB> games after a four-game sweep of Minnesota three weeks ago.
"It almost counts as two games because you beat teams in your division, it gives them a loss and gives you a win," Pierzynski said. "They're important, and usually the team that plays best within the division wins the division. We have to keep doing that and carry the momentum from this (Cubs) series."
Nick Swisher believes the Sox already have the comfort of being home before resuming AL play.
"This hasn't taken us out of our game," he said. "Obviously, there's a huge rivalry there (with the Cubs). It's really blown up. It's been fun, an absolute blast. The crowd has been electric. I'll miss that. But we've got great fans. They've been supporting (us) all year long, and we hope that continues."
The Indians start an eight-game stretch against the AL Central and have lost six of nine to the Sox, including all three games May 20-22 in Chicago.
"It's going to make it or break it for us," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge told reporters of the upcoming trip, which could dictate whether they decide to trade ace C.C. Sabathia, who will pitch Wednesday against the Sox.
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(c) 2008, Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.
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