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White Sox-Orioles Preview

Apr 29, 2016 - 5:00 AM Thursday's box score was an anomaly for the Chicago White Sox. Maybe the latest in their long line of left-handed starters can get things back to normal.

Carlos Rodon will try to realign the visiting White Sox on Friday night after their lengthy winning streak came to a screeching halt in the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles.

Chicago (16-7) came into Thursday with a 2.24 ERA, on pace to be the franchise's best entering May since a 2.01 mark in 1966 and MLB's best since the Chicago Cubs' 2.16 in '85.

That path took a major left turn with the Orioles' 10-2 win, their 11th in the last 15 meetings in Baltimore. Chicago's ERA rose to 2.55 as it had a six-game win streak snapped and fell to 10-4 on the road.

After lefties Chris Sale and Jose Quintana limited a potent Toronto lineup to one run and eight hits combined in the previous two games, Baltimore (13-8) pounded lefty John Danks and finished as the first Chicago opponent with more than seven runs while posting a season-high 15 hits.

Manny Machado snapped an 0-for-17 skid with a grand slam and a double for a career-high five RBIs, and Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo hit consecutive home runs in the third inning - the third time the Orioles have gone back-to-back this season.

''Unfortunately you're not going to win them all, unfortunately,'' Chicago shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. "They came up with some big hits tonight. Real big hits. They had a chance to put us away and they did.''

The White Sox had allowed 14 runs in their previous nine games. Rodon (1-2, 4.05 ERA) suffered through his lone poor outing the game prior to that stretch when he allowed five runs while recording one out in a 7-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on April 18.

The 23-year-old recovered with his third quality start Saturday, holding Texas to two runs and two hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-3 win in 11.

While the pitching woes Thursday were a rarity for the White Sox, the offensive outburst ended a slump for Baltimore. The Orioles had scored five runs while losing three of their previous four to conclude a 2-4 trip.

A return to Camden Yards was welcome as Baltimore improved to 8-1 there to remain MLB's only team with fewer than two home losses. The Orioles moved to 7-0 when scoring at least five runs.

Machado opened the season with a 16-game hitting streak but went without a knock in his previous four. The two-time All-Star has homered in two of his last three games against the White Sox.

''It's good to be back home,'' Machado said. ''It was a rough couple of days on the road. We're excited to be back, we're excited to be back here in front of the crowd and put that 'W' in that win column.''

Mike Wright (1-2, 6.23) will try to help the Orioles to their first 9-1 home start since 2000.

Wright seemed to be on his way to his best outing Sunday before running into issues in the seventh in a 6-1 loss at Kansas City. He recorded one out in the inning while getting charged with three of his five runs.

Wright opened his career last May with 14 1/3 scoreless innings in his first two starts but hasn't held a team to fewer than three runs in going 2-7 with an 8.46 ERA in his last 10. He has a 1.68 WHIP in those outings while opponents are hitting .319 with 12 home runs.

He gave up two homers, one to Adam Eaton, while allowing three runs in five innings to beat the White Sox 6-3 in Baltimore on May 28 in his first career matchup.