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Angels-White Sox Preview

Jul 5, 2010 - 5:10 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Los Angeles (45-38) at Chicago (41-38), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Coming off a big road series win that moved them within one game of first place in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox face another difficult assignment Monday night when they return home to open a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Chicago (42-38) was written off in the Central after it fell 9 1/2 games out of first on June 9, but it has won 18 of 23 to pull within a game of Minnesota and Detroit.

Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run homer and Mark Buehrle pitched seven solid innings in a 5-3 victory Sunday night over Texas as the White Sox took two of three from the West leaders.

A strong starting rotation has been the catalyst for Chicago as its starters are 14-5 with a 2.68 ERA in that 23-game span.

"A lot of people lost faith in this ballclub," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "So we've turned around and proved a lot of people wrong. We touched the bottom very bad, but we stuck together and that showed me a lot about this team."

Gavin Floyd (3-7, 4.66 ERA) will try to continue Chicago's run of solid outings from its starters. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.26 ERA in his last five starts.

He gave up three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-3 win over Kansas City on Tuesday for his first victory since defeating Florida on May 22. He had received six runs of support in his previous six starts.

Floyd is 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA in five starts against the Angels.

Floyd and the rest of Chicago's staff will have to be careful pitching to Torii Hunter, who homered twice and tied a career high with seven RBIs in the Angels' 11-0 rout of the Royals on Sunday.

Hunter, named to the All-Star team for the seventh time, went 2 for 6 with a double, a homer and two RBIs in two games - both wins - against the White Sox in May. He's batting .367 in his last nine games versus Chicago.

"I don't think there's much arguing what Torii means to our organization, in so many ways," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's having an MVP-type season."

The Angels are hoping Hunter can stay hot after they scored five runs in their previous three games before Sunday's outburst.

Los Angeles plays its next seven games on the road, where it has won five of six and 12 of 15.

Scott Kazmir (7-7, 5.67) will try to avoid losing three straight starts for the second time this season. The left-hander was tagged for five runs and six hits over 4 2-3 innings Wednesday in a 6-4 loss to Texas. That followed a season-low 3 2-3-inning stint against the Dodgers in his previous outing.

Kazmir is 3-3 with a 4.66 ERA in eight starts against the White Sox.

Paul Konerko is 9 for 20 with three doubles and two home runs against Kazmir while Ramirez is 4 for 11 with two doubles and a triple.