--OF Dewayne Wise helped get some of the heat off of his back Friday, not only getting his first hit of the season after an 0-for-12 start, but then picking up another hit late in the loss. Wise had been getting the treatment from the home crowd after Game 1, with manager Ozzie Guillen switching him from the leadoff spot to down in the order after the second game. Guillen made it known he has not given up on Wise, either. "I can't wait for Wise to start swinging the bat better so I can move him back up," Guillen said. "We have to be patient. Dewayne wasn't the only one struggling. Almost everyone was."

--SS Alexei Ramirez is the only Sox player without a hit this season, after another off performance against the Twins Friday. Guillen said that the only one who can help Ramirez get out of the early hole is Ramirez. "Alexei has to make adjustments," Guillen said. "Everybody else does. Every day is different. This game is about adjustments. They're going to pitch him different than last year, but as long as he keeps chasing the breaking balls, they will throw them. They're not stupid. They have scouts out there, because that's what teams do. He's chasing more balls this year than last year. I think he will come out of it." Ramirez was a slow starter last season as well.

--RHP Jose Contreras made his first start of the regular season as well as his first start in a meaningful game since he ruptured his left Achilles last August. And while it wasn't in a winning effort, Contreras overcame control problems and wasn't bad in his five innings of work. The right-hander allowed four earned runs on seven hits, walking three and fanning three. "Contreras was pretty good," Guillen said. "The first couple innings were a struggle, but that was to be expected. They only hit a couple balls hard. He threw the ball well, but he had a heavy count."

--RHP Mike MacDougal once again left the club scratching its head as he offered little relief. The righty walked two and eventually allowed two runs without recording an out. It was not a surprise that he was booed walking off the field. Now the question is: How long will the Sox stick with the man making $2.5 million this season? "It's hard for me because we had a lot of faith in this kid, we loved the way he threw in spring training," Guillen said. "We wish we could figure out what's going wrong and make him pitch better. He has such a good arm, but every time he goes out there you hold your breath."

--C Corky Miller might finally get some playing time Saturday, with Francisco Liriano on the mound for Minnesota. The right-handed Miller is yet to start a game this season. Also in his favor is the fact that the Saturday game is an afternoon game, after a cold night loss Friday.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Bartolo Colon (elbow surgery) showed enough this spring to be named the No. 5 starter, but LHP Clayton Richard is waiting in the wings if Colon struggles.

INF Jayson Nix (right quad) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He injured the leg early in camp, missed a week and then tried coming back, only to suffer a setback.

ROTATION:

1. LHP Mark Buehrle

2. RHP Gavin Floyd

3. LHP John Danks

4. RHP Jose Contreras

5. RHP Bartolo Colon

BULLPEN:

RHP Bobby Jenks (closer)

RHP Scott Linebrink

RHP Octavio Dotel

LHP Matt Thornton

LHP Clayton Richard

RHP Mike MacDougal

RHP D.J. Carrasco

LINEUP:

1. 2B Chris Getz

2. 3B Josh Fields

3. LF Carlos Quentin

4. DH Jim Thome

5. RF Jermaine Dye

6. 1B Paul Konerko

7. C A.J. Pierzynski

8. SS Alexei Ramirez

9. CF Dewayne Wise

RESERVES:

C Corky Miller

INF Brent Lillibridge

INF Wilson Betemit

OF Brian Anderson