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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Posted: 10:09 a.m.

(AP) -- With his current contract expiring at the end of this season, Edwin Jackson could be in line for a lucrative deal if he continues his brilliant start for the Chicago White Sox.

Trevor Cahill just parlayed an All-Star season with the Oakland Athletics into a hefty raise.

The two right-handers will both try to stay perfect on the season Tuesday night when the clubs continue their series in Chicago.

Acquired from Arizona on July 30, Jackson has enjoyed his short stint with the White Sox, going 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 13 starts. Control has been an issue for Jackson, who had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.6 before last season's deal, but he has displayed much improved accuracy with Chicago, striking out 97 with just 23 walks.

Jackson (2-0, 1.93 ERA) walked one and set a career high - and a franchise record for a homer opener - with 13 strikeouts over eight innings of Thursday's 5-1 win over Tampa Bay.

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"Any time I'm able to go out and get in an early rhythm and get outs quick and attack the strike zone, I like my odds," said Jackson, whose two-year, 13.35 million deal ends after the season.

Jackson, who has never won his first three starts, is 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA in four starts against the A's. He struck out six over seven innings and did not earn a decision in a 4-3 victory at Oakland on Sept. 22.

If Jackson puts the White Sox (6-4) in a save situation Tuesday, it's uncertain who will get the call out of the bullpen after closer Matt Thornton blew his third save of the season in Monday's 2-1, 10-inning loss.

White Sox left fielder Juan Pierre hasn't helped Thornton, dropping fly balls in the ninth inning of his last two appearances.

"One thing I said, in spring training and I say over and over, we got to take care of (Mark) Buehrle," manager Ozzie Guillen said after the left-hander held the A's scoreless through eight innings with just two hits - none until a leadoff single in the sixth by Kurt Suzuki, who hit the go-ahead solo homer in the 10th off Jesse Crain.

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Oakland (5-5) will try to extend its season-high winning streak to four with Cahill (1-0, 1.42) taking the ball for the first time since agreeing to a five-year, 30.5 million extension Monday. The 23-year-old will receive a 1 million signing bonus and a salary of 500,000 in 2011 before it escalates to 3.5 million in 2012.

"I came up with them and I'm just glad they gave me the opportunity to lock me up and I'm guaranteed to pitch for a while, so I couldn't be happier," said Cahill, 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA last season when he was named an All-Star for the first time.

The White Sox have hit 12 home runs and are averaging 6.3 runs with a .295 batting average, but they may not be happy to see the young sinkerballer, who has added a curveball to his repertoire since last season.

"I couldn't be happier with how that pitch has progressed," manager Bob Geren said after Cahill threw eight innings of three-hit ball in Thursday's 2-1 win at Toronto.

Cahill is 1-1 with a 3.34 ERA in five starts versus Chicago.

White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko is 1 for 8 lifetime against Cahill, but the AL co-player of the week is batting .421 (16 for 38) while hitting safely in all 10 games this season.

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