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White Sox-Rangers Preview

Apr 28, 2010 - 4:24 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Chicago (8-11) at Texas (8-11), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The absence of one of their top hitters couldn't keep the Texas Rangers from continuing their recent winning ways.

The Rangers look to win their fourth straight at home over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night when they continue a three-game series.

Texas (9-11) won for the fourth time in six games overall Tuesday, opening its series against Chicago (8-12) with a 4-2 victory. It was also the Rangers' eighth win in 10 games over the White Sox in Arlington.

The Rangers have scored 30 runs over the last six games, and managed to extend their success over the White Sox despite right fielder Nelson Cruz going on the disabled list earlier in the day with a strained right hamstring.

Cruz was hitting .323 with a team-high 17 RBIs.

Vladimir Guerrero started in place of Cruz, and finished with two hits and two runs. In the last five games, Guerrero is hitting .526 with four of his 10 hits going for extra bases.

The Rangers got a bigger lift from catcher Matt Treanor, who had a solo homer and a two-run double. Treanor is starting after Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden were optioned to Triple-A.

He's taking the role by the horns," reliever C.J. Wilson said of Treanor, who raised his batting average 39 points to .265.

The loss snapped Chicago's three-game winning streak. The White Sox were 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, as the top three in their order of Juan Pierre, Gordon Beckham and Andruw Jones went 0 for 10 with three strikeouts.

Chicago is hitting .199 with runners in scoring position this season.

"We've didn't get the big base hit we needed," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We've got to execute."

The White Sox will hand the ball to Jake Peavy (0-1, 7.66 ERA), who gave up seven runs and walked a career-high seven in 4 1-3 innings against Tampa Bay in a 10-2 loss Thursday.

Peavy, who has never faced the Rangers, has issued 15 bases on balls over 22 1-3 innings. The right-hander has made it through the sixth inning in only one of his four starts, and couldn't get through the fifth last week after throwing 108 pitches.

Rich Harden (0-1, 4.58), who gets the call for Texas, is having similar struggles.

Harden has not made it through the fifth inning in three of his four starts. He gave up two runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 5-4 win against Detroit on Friday. The right-hander tossed 99 pitches with four walks, and has handed out 18 over 17 2-3 innings.

Harden is 3-3 with a 3.00 ERA against the White Sox. He's lost his last two starts against them, but has not faced Chicago since 2008.