(Sports Network) - Two pitchers who have delivered vastly different results over the last month go head-to-head when the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics resume a four-game series tonight at U.S. Cellular Field.

Mark Buehrle is slated to take the mound for Chicago in search of a fifth consecutive winning decision. His counterpart this evening, Oakland's Joe Blanton, comes in having suffered five defeats over his last six outings.

Buehrle has produced an outstanding 1.15 earned run average over his unbeaten streak, having yielding one or less runs in four of those five starts. The quick-working lefty was sharp once again this past Sunday, when Buehrle limited the rival Cubs to one unearned run and six hits through seven frames to lead the White Sox to a 5-1 victory.

The 29-year-old hasn't lost since a May 27 setback at Cleveland and is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA in seven home starts this season.

Buehrle has not fared well when facing the Athletics over the course of his career, however. He is just 3-10 in 22 lifetime appearances (18 starts) against Oakland, despite having posted a respectable 3.78 ERA over those games.

The three-time All-Star was dealt a tough-luck loss by the A's in Chicago back in April, with Buehrle allowing just two runs over seven innings in a 2-1 setback.

For the most part, Blanton has pitched better than his 4-11 season record would indicate, as the durable righty has often been the victim of poor run support. That wasn't the case his last time out, though, as Blanton was rocked for seven runs and lasted just four innings in a home loss to San Francisco on Sunday.

The former first-round draft choice did pitch very well in his previous start, a 5-2 victory over Philadelphia on June 24 in which Blanton held the Phillies to only one run and four hits over seven innings to stop a personal four-game losing streak.

During his 1-5 stretch, Blanton has posted an ugly 7.49 ERA and given up four or more runs in all but two of those six starts.

The 27-year-old is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in three career matchups with the White Sox, although that loss came during his lone start at U.S. Cellular Field back in May of last season.

Oakland got this holiday weekend series off to a good start on Thursday, stopping Chicago's seven-game win streak with a 3-2 decision.

Justin Duchscherer (9-5) led the way by throwing seven strong innings in which the All-Star candidate allowed two runs on five hits. Huston Street came on to record the final five outs and pick up his 16th save of the season.

Donnie Murphy snapped a 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the fifth inning, while Jack Cust belted a two-run shot for the Athletics, who had lost four of five entering last night's tilt.

Both long balls came against Javier Vazquez (7-7), who surrendered just four hits total and struck out 10 Oakland batters in a complete-game loss.

Dewayne Wise had a solo homer for the White Sox and Jermaine Dye finished 2- for-3 with an RBI double.

Chicago, which leads the American League Central by two games over Minnesota, had won nine straight and 18 of its last 20 tests at home prior to Thursday's loss. The White Sox are an excellent 30-12 as the host this season.

Oakland has won six of its seven most recent meetings with Chicago, although the A's are just 3-6 over their last nine games at U.S. Cellular Field.

These teams split a two-game series in the Windy City back in April.