Los Angeles @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 6, 2010 ) LA Angels 1, Chi. White Sox 4
The Chicago White Sox lost one of their starting pitchers on Tuesday but it couldn’t slow their momentum.
The White Sox will be looking to push their winning streak to four games when they face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday.
Jake Peavy left after just 1 2/3 innings on Tuesday with a strained muscle in his back, but Chicago still found a way to grab a 4-1 victory when Tony Pena came on in relief and pitched a career-high 4 1/3 innings, giving the offense enough time to get to Jered Weaver.
Alex Rios hit a solo homer and added a sacrifice fly and Juan Pierre drove in a run and scored a run for the streaking White Sox.
Chicago was without slugger Carlos Quentin on Tuesday due to a sore left knee. The right fielder was the star of Monday’s series opener, hitting two home runs and making a diving catch on the warning track to rob Torii Hunter of an extra-base hit.
Quentin could be in the lineup today as the designated hitter.
Los Angeles is sliding in the opposite direction, having lost four of its last five games. The skid has dropped the Angels 4 ½ games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West despite the efforts of Hunter, who has gone 7-for-10 with two homers, seven RBIs and four runs scored since being announced as a member of the All-Star team on Sunday.
The White Sox will send the streaking Freddy Garcia to the mound today. The veteran right-hander has not suffered a loss since May 23 and has allowed three runs or less in six of his last seven starts. The most vulnerable member of Chicago’s rotation, Garcia’s recent performance has quieted the calls to promote prospect Dan Hudson.
Garcia has dominated Los Angeles in the past, going 14-3 with a 2.53 ERA in 24 starts with a 1.06 WHIP. The 33-year-old has had some trouble with the long ball this season - surrendering 13 homers in 91 innings - but has had little trouble keeping the Angels in the park during his career, allowing eight blasts in 174 total frames.
Los Angeles will counter with left-hander Joe Saunders. The 29-year-old has put together two strong starts in a row, allowing a total of three runs on 10 hits in 15 innings against Colorado and Kansas City. Saunders has had a few such streaks this season but is also capable of blowing up completely, as the former first-round pick has yielded five or more runs six times this season.
Saunders had one of his best starts of 2010 against the White Sox back on May 19, allowing one run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings to earn the win. In his career, Saunders is 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA in seven starts against Chicago.