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Angels-White Sox Preview

Aug 3, 2009 - 6:36 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Los Angeles (63-40) at Chicago (54-52), 8:11 p.m. EDT

The Chicago White Sox opened their lengthy homestand by cooling off one of the hottest teams in the majors.

They may face an even tougher task in trying to slow down the Los Angeles Angels, who open a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday night.

Chicago (54-52) began its stretch of 10 straight home games with four against the New York Yankees, winners of 11 of 13 heading into the series.

The White Sox, though, outscored the Yankees 27-11 while taking the first three games before losing 8-5 in Sunday's finale. That snapped a season-high five-game home win streak.

The strong start to the homestand drew Chicago closer to struggling AL Central leader Detroit.

"We just have to worry about winning series and continue to play the way that we're playing right now," manager Ozzie Guillen told the White Sox's official Web site. "We know it's going to be a really tough road, but I think we can handle it."

That tough road continues against the Angels, winners of 17 of 20 and five in row. Los Angeles (63-40) has won eight in a row away from home, its longest such streak since a franchise-record 11 game road run from July 6-Aug. 2, 1988.

The hot streak for the AL's top team has come despite the absences of All-Star outfielders Vladimir Guerrero (strained left knee) and Torii Hunter (strained adductor).

Los Angeles opened its six-game trip by sweeping three from Minnesota this weekend. The Angels piled up 35 runs and 52 hits in the series and have hit .324 since losing Guerrero and Hunter on July 7, boosting their major-league leading average to a season-high .290.

Kendry Morales hit a pair of homers and drove in a career-high six runs in Sunday's 13-4 victory. He is batting .368 with nine homers and 24 RBIs over his last 17 games.

"I'm just taking care of doing my job," Morales said through an interpreter. "It's about me being able to do the job day after day."

Teammate Bobby Abreu is 17 for 32 (.531) during a nine-game hit streak, while Howie Kendrick is 19 for 40 (.475) in his last 12 contests.

The hot-hitting Angels will face the struggling Jose Contreras (5-10, 4.80 ERA), who lost his last three starts. The right-hander posted a 5.94 ERA in those outings.

He allowed three runs over 5 2-3 innings Wednesday night in a 3-2 defeat at Minnesota, needing 58 pitches to get the first six outs.

Contreras, though, is 5-1 with a 2.12 ERA in his last seven games against the Angels.

Los Angeles' John Lackey (7-4, 4.00) takes the mound looking to match a career high by winning his fifth straight start, something he did in each of the last two seasons. Lackey, who posted a 1.47 ERA over his last four outings, has not beaten the White Sox since Sept. 11, 2005, going 0-3 in five matchups since.

The right-hander, though, recorded a 3.79 ERA in those outings and pitched at least seven innings each time.

Chicago took two of three in Anaheim from May 25-27 and won five of the last seven meetings. The clubs split the last 12 games at U.S. Cellular.