CHICAGO (AP) -- Gary Matthews Jr. figured the odds weren't in his

favor. Still, he got a good pitch to hit and took advantage of it.

Matthews doubled home the go-ahead run off Bobby Jenks in the

ninth inning, and the Texas Rangers handed the Chicago White Sox

their fourth straight loss, 4-3 on Friday night.

The winning rally started when Chicago's Brandon McCarthy (2-3)

walked Ian Kinsler with one out on a 3-2 pitch. Jenks, the White

Sox's closer came on, and immediately threw a flat cutter. Matthews

took advantage, and the Rangers won for the sixth time in eight

games.

"More times than not, you're not going to be successful against

these guys," Matthews said. "You just try to get a good pitch to

hit, take your swing and see what happens."

Jenks said, "I made a bad pitch and that's all there is to

it."

The hit made a winner of Francisco Cordero (5-3), who allowed

one hit in one scoreless inning of relief. Akinori Otsuka pitched

the ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.

The White Sox had the tying run on base after A.J. Pierzynski

singled with two out in bottom of the ninth, but Paul Konerko

popped to second baseman Kinsler in short right.

Texas' Brad Wilkerson hit his 11th home run -- a two-run shot in

the second inning. It was the 17th homer allowed by White Sox

starter Jon Garland, who began the day one behind Baltimore's Bruce

Chen for the major league lead.

Matthews and Mark Teixeira had two hits apiece for the Rangers.

The White Sox scored three runs in the fourth on a bases-loaded

single by Ross Gload and RBI grounders by Juan Uribe and Brian

Anderson to take a 3-2 lead.

Garland was effective, if not spectacular, allowing three runs

on five hits in 6 2-3 innings but did not figure in the decision.

He left to a loud ovation after walking Matthews with the White Sox

ahead 3-2.

Before the game, manager Ozzie Guillen said his starters need to

pitch deeper into the game. Garland did just that, and the

relievers were more effective than they were the previous night,

when they allowed six runs in a 12-8 loss at Cleveland.

But the lead immediately disappeared.

Michael Young knocked the first pitch from Jeff Nelson down the

left-field line for a double to drive in Matthews. Nelson then

intentionally walked Teixeira, before Neal Cotts retired Hank

Blalock on a fielder's choice grounder to short.

"Since I've been here, it seems like this team has the ability

to score runs late," said Matthews, who signed with Texas during

the 2004 season. "It's a credit to our depth on the team. You've

got to have that attitude that you never give up. I think we have

that attitude because we know that we're not dependent on any one

player or any one hitter to get it done."

A strength last season, the White Sox's bullpen was 10th in the

American League with a 4.63 ERA entering the game. Chicago is now

16-of-24 in save opportunities.

"It looks worse than it actually is because we've got 162

games, we're not at the halfway mark yet, there's too much season

left to go," Jenks said. "It looks bad right now because it's

everybody (struggling) at once."

Texas starter Kameron Loe allowed three runs and 10 hits in six

innings.

After losing five of seven at Toronto and Cleveland, the White

Sox were glad to be back home, where they were a major league

leading 19-6 before Friday's game. But the troubles continued for

the defending World Series champions.

Chicago's Jermaine Dye extended his hitting streak to seven

games with a single and double and scored a run. Tadahito Iguchi

had two hits after going 4-for-23 on the trip. And Konerko, Gload

and Pierzynski also had two apiece.

White Sox designated hitter Jim Thome was scratched from the

lineup with a strain in the left quadriceps and adductor area,

which he suffered the previous night. Guillen hopes to have the

slugger back on Saturday.

"I'm not going to push this guy," Guillen said. "I'd rather

lose a game than lose him for 15 days. It sounds funny when the

manager says that when (the team's) not playing well."Game notes
With Thome out, Konerko served as the designated hitter,

Gload started at first and Pierzynski batted third. ... The White

Sox's home game against the Los Angeles Angels that was rained out

on May 11 was rescheduled for Aug. 7. ... Rangers manager Buck

Showalter said RHP Kevin Millwood, bothered by a stiff back, looked

"a little better" Friday and should be ready to start against

Kansas City on Tuesday. Millwood was initially scheduled to pitch

on Sunday.