CHICAGO (AP) — Mark Buehrle pitched four-hit ball into the eighth inning and Tyler Flowers drove in two runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 3-0 Monday night in a game played in a brisk 2 hours, 4 minutes.

The White Sox have won four straight and improved to two games above .500 for the first time since April 13. They also moved within five games of the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers.

Buehrle (11-6) pitched around two walks in 7 2-3 innings and struck out four. He won his 159th game, tying him for sixth on the White Sox’s all-time list.

Buehrle has allowed only one earned run in 30 2-3 innings this season against the Twins and has 27 wins in his career against Minnesota. He has more wins against the Twins than any other active pitcher has against a single opponent.

Jesse Crain got an out in the eighth and closer Sergio Santos pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances, finishing the four-hitter.

Twins starter Kevin Slowey (0-3) allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings.

The Twins are just one-half game ahead of the last-place Kansas City Royals in the AL Central.

After allowing a leadoff walk to Tsuyoshi Nishioka in the eighth, Ben Revere moved Nishioka to second on a sacrifice bunt. Buehrle then retired Trevor Plouffe on a soft liner to second. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen pulled Buehrle after 109 pitches. After Buehrle left to a standing ovation, Crain struck out Michael Cuddyer to end the inning.

Before its current four-game winning streak against Minnesota, Chicago had lost 17 of 20 to the Twins and only won for the second time in 11 games against the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.

The White Sox manufactured a run in the second inning. With one out, Alejandro De Aza doubled to left. He then stole third and scored on Flowers’ sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, Dayan Viciedo led off with a single against Slowey and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by De Aza. Flowers followed with a double to left-center to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead.

The White Sox got another run in the eighth. With two outs and Alexei Ramirez on second, Viciedo hit a slow roller to third baseman Danny Valencia. Valencia wasn’t able to field the roller and Ramirez rounded third base hard and continued to the plate and scored without a throw.

Both pitchers worked at a rapid pace, the first five innings were completed in under an hour.

Again, the Twins had to play without catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau. Mauer was out with a sore neck for the sixth straight game and Morneau injured his left shoulder diving for a ball in Sunday’s win over the Tigers. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Morneau is day to day and Mauer took swings in the cages before Monday’s game.

NOTES: Tuesday’s scheduled Twins starter Anthony Swarzak, allowed just four hits and one run in six innings, while striking out five in his victory over the White Sox on July 10. … Zach Stewart, who earned his first major league victory on Aug. 6 against the Twins, is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season on Tuesday. …. White Sox 1B Paul Konerko made his first start at first base since July 31. Konerko has been used as the DH with a left calf bruise.

Mark Buehrle pitched four-hit ball into the eighth inning and Tyler Flowers drove in two runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 3-0 Monday night in a game played in a brisk 2 hours, 4 minutes.

The White Sox have won four straight and improved to two games above .500 for the first time since April 13. They also moved within five games of the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers.

Buehrle (11-6) pitched around two walks in 7 2-3 innings and struck out four. He won his 159th game, tying him for sixth on the White Sox’s all-time list.

Buehrle has allowed only one earned run in 30 2-3 innings this season against the Twins and has 27 wins in his career against Minnesota. He has more wins against the Twins than any other active pitcher has against a single opponent.

Jesse Crain got an out in the eighth and closer Sergio Santos pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save in 31 chances, finishing the four-hitter.

Twins starter Kevin Slowey (0-3) allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings.

The Twins are just one-half game ahead of the last-place Kansas City Royals in the AL Central.

After allowing a leadoff walk to Tsuyoshi Nishioka in the eighth, Ben Revere moved Nishioka to second on a sacrifice bunt. Buehrle then retired Trevor Plouffe on a soft liner to second. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen pulled Buehrle after 109 pitches. After Buehrle left to a standing ovation, Crain struck out Michael Cuddyer to end the inning.

Before its current four-game winning streak against Minnesota, Chicago had lost 17 of 20 to the Twins and only won for the second time in 11 games against the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.

The White Sox manufactured a run in the second inning. With one out, Alejandro De Aza doubled to left. He then stole third and scored on Flowers’ sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, Dayan Viciedo led off with a single against Slowey and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by De Aza. Flowers followed with a double to left-center to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead.

The White Sox got another run in the eighth. With two outs and Alexei Ramirez on second, Viciedo hit a slow roller to third baseman Danny Valencia. Valencia wasn’t able to field the roller and Ramirez rounded third base hard and continued to the plate and scored without a throw.

Both pitchers worked at a rapid pace, the first five innings were completed in under an hour.

Again, the Twins had to play without catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau. Mauer was out with a sore neck for the sixth straight game and Morneau injured his left shoulder diving for a ball in Sunday’s win over the Tigers. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Morneau is day to day and Mauer took swings in the cages before Monday’s game.

NOTES: Tuesday’s scheduled Twins starter Anthony Swarzak, allowed just four hits and one run in six innings, while striking out five in his victory over the White Sox on July 10. … Zach Stewart, who earned his first major league victory on Aug. 6 against the Twins, is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season on Tuesday. …. White Sox 1B Paul Konerko made his first start at first base since July 31. Konerko has been used as the DH with a left calf bruise.

Minnesota Twins’ Joe Mauer watches from the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, in Minneapolis. Mauer missed his second straight game with a stiff neck keeping. (Associated Press: Tom Olmscheid)

CHICAGO – Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are out of the Minnesota Twins’ lineup for tonight’s game against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

Mauer still is recovering from a neck injury suffered last Tuesday. Morneau injured his left shoulder diving for what turned out to be a double down the line in Sunday’s 11-4 victory over Detroit.

Mauer told reporters this afternoon he hyperextended his neck while jerking his head upward to find a pop foul at first base during the Twins’ 8-1 loss to Baltimore.

“I’m getting close, which is good,” Mauer said before testing the neck with some swings in the batting cage. “My muscle’s in spasm, so I just have to get over that soreness and get to where I can move my neck and get out there and play.”

Morneau had an active game in Sunday’s 11-4 victory over Detroit. He went 3 for 4, was thrown out trying to tag from first on a long fly out, dove for a double down the line by Alex Avila, and ended the game with an unassisted double play that required a leaping tag to double off Ramon Santiago.

“Sometimes you land a little funny, and we’ll see what happens,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Preview

Washington at Atlanta

THE STORY: The Atlanta Braves appear headed back to the playoffs. The Washington Nationals are fighting to stay out of last place in the N.L. East. But one thing hasn’t changed: the Nationals continue to find a way to battle and pester the Braves. The two teams begin a three-game series on Tuesday at Turner Field, with the season series tied 6-6. Washington has lost six straight, while Atlanta has won seven of nine.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), Fox Sports South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Livan Hernandez (7-12, 4.36 ERA) vs. Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (13-5, 2.71 ERA).

Hernandez pitched well enough to win his last start, allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 4-2 loss to Arizona. Although he’s been knocked around by Atlanta throughout his career (8-18 with 4.71 ERA in 35 starts), Hernandez was brilliant in his last start against the Braves on Aug. 1. That night he allowed one run and six hits in six innings of a victory.

Jurrjens returned to form in his last start, when he threw 6 1/3 shutout innings against the Cubs. But it wasn’t great – he allowed five walks and eight hits. Still, it was his first victory since July 6, a span of five starts. He’s 1-2 with a 5.19 ERA in three August starts. Jurrjens has struggled against the Nationals, posting a 0-1 record with a 9.90 ERA in two starts. He’s 3-3 lifetime with a 4.27 ERA in 11 starts against Washington.

ABOUT THE NATIONALS (62-70): It’s been the Tale of Two Zimmerman(n)s for the Nationals this month. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has fully recovered from his torn abdominal muscle that kept him out two months. He’s batting .333 with a .542 slugging percentage and four home runs in August. Pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is likely finished for the year following Sunday’s. He’s surpassed the 160-inning limit imposed on him by the club, but will be shut down to protect him arm from overwork. Zimmermann had Tommy John surgery in 2009.

ABOUT THE BRAVES (79-54): The Braves are playing for the first time since Friday because of the cancellation of two games with the New York Mets over the weekend. The unexpected time off has given Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez a chance to reset his starting rotation for the final month. He will throw Jurrjens, Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson against Washington, and use Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor in the first two games of the series with Los Angeles. That’s the rotation that will be used until Tommy Hanson comes off the DL.

FINAL PITCH: Washington’s Stephen Strasburg is a step closer to returning to the major leagues after throwing five perfect innings on Saturday night. He’s expected to start make one more rehab start on Thursday before rejoining the Nationals.

Stats and Records