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Angels look to improve on league-best home record

May 4, 2007 - 3:27 PM Chi White Sox (12-13) at LA Angels (16-13) 10:05 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been tough to beat at home this season.

The Angels will be after their league-best 12th home win in 15 games this season when they host the Chicago White Sox in the first of a three-game series on Friday.

Kelvim Escobar (2-1, 3.28 ERA) will start against the White Sox for the second time in as many starts. In the Angels' 5-2 win at Chicago on Sunday, the righthander limited the White Sox to two runs and four hits in 7 2/3 innings.

In two starts against the White Sox last season, Escobar was 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings.

The White Sox will turn to Jose Contreras (2-2, 5.68) to end their four-game losing streak. The 35-year-old righthander has a three-game winning streak going against the Angels. Last Friday, he allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings as the White Sox prevailed, 7-3.

In two starts against Anaheim last season, the 6-4 Cuban was 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.

Darin Erstad, who played for the Angels from 1996-2006, will be making his first trip back to Anaheim. During last weekend's three-game series against Anaheim at U.S. Cellular Field, he went 6-for-12 with a home run, double, three RBI and three runs.

Anaheim slugger Vladimir Guerrero, who hit his ninth home run in Thursday's loss to the Kansas City Royals, has driven in 29 runs in 27 games played. His performance in the early season has correlated closely with the team's success.

In the Angels' 16 wins this season, the right fielder is batting .431 (25-for-58) with seven home runs and 23 RBI. In the team's losses with Guerrero in the lineup, he is hitting .235 (8-for-34) with two home runs and six RBI.