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Harrison tosses a complete-game shutout

The White Sox are surging heading into Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline with four straight wins and will look to maintain their lead in the American League Central when they face the Rangers on Saturday night in Arlington.

Chicago is still in the market for a starting pitcher and will send struggling Phil Humber to the mound. The right-hander lasted a season-low three innings in his last start, allowing six runs on seven hits against Detroit.

Despite the trade rumors, the White Sox hope their rotation remains focused.

"I don't pay attention to [rumors]," said White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper. "With the 12 guys we got here, that's enough to think about. I don't get involved with that. I never really have. I kind of like listening when a hot topic comes up, like in the winter time when you hear Hot Stove stuff. But I don't take it any further than that. We got enough on our hands to take care of and manage and win games."

The White Sox took Friday's series opener, 9-5, to open a six-game road trip. They lead the Tigers by 1 1/2 games in the AL Central and are 5-2 against the Rangers this year.

Texas, which saw its prized pitching target, Zack Greinke, traded to the rival Angels on Friday night, has alternated wins and losses on its 10-game homestand, going 2-2 in four games. Matt Harrison is scheduled to make his second start against the White Sox and is looking for better results this time around.

Harrison tossed a complete game against Chicago on July 5 but took a 2-1 loss to wrap up a three-game sweep.

"They have a good team. They have been hot for a while and they were really hot when we were playing them," Harrison said.

After following that performance with a shutout against the Mariners, Harrison took a step back in his last outing against the Angels. The right-hander gave up four runs in six-plus innings in a 7-4 loss. He allowed six of seven leadoff hitters to reach base.

"I definitely have to keep the leadoff guy off base," Harrison said. "I definitely put more pressure on myself and I had to battle through that. A lot of time I executed my pitches but they put the bat on the ball and found some holes. Most of the time, if I execute my pitches, good things happen."

White Sox: Pierzynski could sit again
• Catcher A.J. Pierzynski missed his third straight game on Friday with a mild right oblique strain and likely will get one more day off on Saturday to rest the injury.

The veteran could have played in the series opener on Friday and is only bothered by the injury when swinging the bat. Still, the White Sox are being cautious with one of their top players.

"We have two months left," said manager Robin Ventura. "We don't want to lose him for two weeks."

Pierzynski took early batting practice on Friday, the final hurdle he had to clear to come back.

"I can catch fine. I can throw fine. I did a full workout today. It's fine," he said. "Literally, the only time I feel it is when I swing. It's not unmanageable, it's not unbearable. We're playing it [more] safe than sorry and get better than continue to push it and have something crazy happen."

Tyler Flowers has started the last three games in place of Pierzynski, going 3-for-12 with two doubles and one run scored.

Rangers: Napoli back in lineup
• Mike Napoli started at designated hitter on Friday after missing Wednesday's win over the Red Sox with tightness in his left quad.

Napoli hit seventh and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He injured his quad while running to first base in the third inning of Tuesday's loss to Boston when he grounded into a double play. The catcher finished the game and drew a pair of walks in two plate appearances after the injury.

"I was running down the line and my quad just tightened up on me," Napoli said. "It's a little sore but I don't think it's really anything serious. I haven't run on it since. It doesn't bother me walking on it or anything. But I wasn't sprinting on my off-day. I was relaxing."

Still, the Rangers expect Napoli to catch on Saturday and Sunday.

• Pitcher Mark Lowe is scheduled to pitch one inning in his first rehab outing on Saturday night with Double-A Frisco.

Lowe has been on the disabled list since June 26 with a strained intercostal muscle in his right rib cage and will likely need two outings before he is activated.

"He has been down a while and hasn't faced hitters," said Rangers manager Ron Washington. "I don't see how he can do one inning and come back."

• First baseman Mitch Moreland is also on a rehab assignment with Frisco, joining the club on Friday night. Moreland has been on the DL with a strained left hamstring since June 20. The Rangers will wait until after Saturday to decide if he's ready to be activated.

"We'll wait and see how his at-bats go," Washington said. "He can't go down there and do nothing, and then come back here and do nothing. We'll see how his at-bats go."

Moreland went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four runs scored.

Worth noting
• The White Sox are 12-6 against teams from the AL West.

• Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus went 0-for-4 with a walk on Friday to end a 13-game hitting-streak.

• White Sox right fielder Alex Rios is hitting .371 (39-for-105) with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 22 runs over his last 26 games.

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