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CWS@TB: Humber fans five over seven strong in a win

Toronto's schedule is not getting any easier as the club, which just finished a six-game homestand against the Orioles and Red Sox, is set to embark on a six-game road trip starting in Chicago and concluding in Atlanta.

The Blue Jays went 4-2 against their division rivals, but may be facing an even tougher test against the White Sox -- one of the hottest teams in baseball.

Detroit was seen as a clear-cut favorite to win the American League Central in 2012, if not run away with it, but after roughly one-third of the season complete, it's the White Sox sitting atop the standings.

Chicago has won 10 of its past 11 games and has exceeded much of the expectations placed on the club at the onset of the year. The only thing slowing the White Sox right now is that a couple players are dealing with illness, so they are just hoping to have everyone ready to go on Tuesday.

"It's happened the last couple days," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We have some guys under the weather. Guys will suck it up and go out there. Some won't be able to, but most of them will."

The White Sox will send Philip Humber to the mound and he will face a Blue Jays team he has a 3.24 ERA but no decisions against.

Humber will be up against Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero, who has allowed four runs in back-to-back outings, but is coming off a win against Baltimore. Romero has been plagued with control issues all season, but walked just one in his last start and wants to start turning in the results that is expected of a front-of-the-rotation arm.

"I've been hard on myself this whole year, the guys have kind of told me to tone down a little bit and get that confidence back up, but I expect so much of myself and work so hard," said Romero, who has a 4.04 ERA. "I'm my worst critic and I'm always going to be like that. I'm a competitor and I like to win. I hate losing. Getting back on my own side and just kind of finding it on my own. The coaches can only do so much and talk to me about it, but it's on me to go out there and do it."

White Sox: Sale dominating
• White Sox starter Chris Sale was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for May on Sunday, after going 4-1 with a league-best 1.71 ERA over six games in the month.

Sale, who made five starts and one relief appearance in May, pitched through the seventh inning in each of his last three outings, including a career-high 15-strikeout performance against the Rays on May 28. He is also coming off a complete-game victory over Seattle on Sunday, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out seven.

Sale has won his last four starts and allowed just four runs over that stretch, while striking out 36 batters in 28 2/3 innings.

• Second baseman Gordon Beckham has picked up right where he left off in May after hitting just .153 with two RBIs and no homers in April.

Beckham, who hit .261 with five homers and 12 RBIs in May, extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Sunday and has hits in 14 of his last 15 games. The 25-year-old is hitting .308 with three home runs and eight RBIs over his current streak.

Blue Jays: Guerrero close to joining Toronto?
• Vladimir Guerrero made his debut for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday night by going 1-for-5 with a double and just missed a home run to straightaway center field in his first at-bat.

Guerrero went 9-for-20 with four homers and eight RBIs in four games with Class A Dunedin before getting a promotion to the Pacific Coast League. If Guerrero keeps hitting, the probability of him joining the Blue Jays soon are quite possible.

Guerrero appeared in 145 games with the Orioles last season and hit .290 with 13 home runs, 63 RBIs and a career-low .733 OPS.

• Jose Bautista has homered in back-to-back games, giving him 14 on the season to go along with 37 RBIs. Both totals are second on the team to Edwin Encarnacion, who has 17 and 43, respectively.

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