Game 2: Toronto - Jesse Litsch (10-8, 3.76) Chicago - Clayton Richard (2-3, 6.39)

(Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays are expected to get their four-game series off to a delayed start with a day-night doubleheader that begins this afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.

The teams were scheduled to square off on Monday, but the contest was postponed due to rain and will be replayed this afternoon.

Poor weather is about the only thing that has stopped the Blue Jays from winning lately. Toronto enters this twinbill having ripped off eight consecutive victories, with the three most recent wins coming over American League East leader Tampa Bay. Prior to that series, the Jays took all three meetings from the Minnesota Twins, who currently sit 2 1/2 games behind the White Sox for the top spot in the AL Central.

The Blue Jays are on their longest win streak since an eight-game run from April 14-22, 1999. Toronto has not won nine in a row since it ripped off 11 straight victories from August 27-September 7, 1998.

The team completed a perfect six-game homestand with a 1-0 edging of the Rays on Sunday, with David Purcey and Jesse Carlson combining for the shutout.

Purcey (3-5) scattered six hits and three walks over eight excellent innings before turning the lead over to Carlson, who retired the side in order in the ninth to notch his second save.

The game's lone run came in the bottom of the second inning, when Adam Lind smacked a leadoff double for Toronto and later came home on Rod Barajas' sacrifice fly.

Chicago had extended its margin atop the Central with a recent three-game win streak that was halted with Sunday's 3-2 home loss to the Angels. Garret Anderson knocked in the tie-breaking run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly to help Anaheim avoided a three-game series sweep.

Paul Konerko and Toby Hall had solo homers for the White Sox, while starting pitcher John Danks allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven in a 5 1/3-inning no-decision.

Horacio Ramirez (1-4) was saddled with the loss after letting the eventual winning run reach base during the top of the eighth.

Chicago will try for a rebound in the opener behind Javier Vazquez, who stopped a two-start losing streak with a solid six-inning effort at Cleveland on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander permitted two runs on five hits and walked just one to lead the White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Tribe.

For the season, he is 11-12 with a 4.34 earned run average in 28 starts.

Vazquez had a very good start against the Blue Jays in Toronto back in May, although he wound up on the short end of a 1-0 decision. The 32-year-old yielded only one run and racked up nine strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings in that game.

The Puerto Rico native is 4-6 with a 4.25 ERA in 13 career starts against the Jays.

Toronto counters with 16-game winner A.J. Burnett, who has been struggling some lately after a tremendous stretch from late July to mid-August. The oft- injured righty is winless over his last three starts, recording one loss and two no-decisions to go along with a 4.15 ERA.

Burnett had won six straight starts prior to his winless run and enters tonight's tilt as the American League leader with 201 strikeouts.

In his most recent mound trip, Burnett allowed three runs and fanned eight over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Minnesota on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old is 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA over four previous starts against Chicago.

Burnett will be followed by Jesse Litsch, who hopes to duplicate the results of his most recent start for the Blue Jays in the nightcap.

Litsch spun a four-hitter for his second shutout of the season during Thursday's 9-0 victory over Minnesota, the third time in the young right- hander's four starts since returning from the minors he failed to give up a run. Since his mid-August promotion, Litsch is 2-1 with a sensational 0.94 ERA.

The 23-year-old's lone career start against the White Sox was a winning one. That came in Toronto on May 3, with Litsch firing 7 1/3-innings of two-run ball.

Rookie Clayton Richard gets another assignment for Chicago in tonight's second game. The young lefty has been expectedly inconsistent since filling in for an injured Jose Contreras in the White Sox' rotation, compiling a 2-3 record and a 6.39 over six starts and a pair of relief appearances.

Richard last pitched on September 1 and was removed after just four innings of a 5-0 loss at Cleveland. He was reached for four runs (3 earned) on seven hits in that game.

The University of Michigan product will be facing the Blue Jays for the first time.

The White Sox will be attempting to end a five-game losing streak to the Blue Jays. Four of those defeats came when the teams squared off in Toronto from May 2-5.