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Angels-White Sox Preview

Aug 12, 2015 - 4:51 AM Mired in their worst road losing streak in 22 seasons, the Los Angeles Angels don't expect the final stretch of the season to be an easy one.

They'll look to avoid a ninth consecutive road defeat and series sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.

Los Angeles (59-53) holds a slim advantage for the AL's second wild-card spot and remains well in reach of first-place Houston in the West. However, it hasn't looked like a serious postseason contender while batting .189, posting a .238 on-base percentage and totaling 17 runs in losing eight straight on the road for the first time since a nine-game skid July 17-25, 1993.

"We're going to keep grinding," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website.

C.J. Cron had two of the five hits during Tuesday's 3-0 loss. The Angels were last swept at U.S. Cellular Field over a four-game set in July 2010.

After recording a pair of hits in Monday's opener, Mike Trout went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. He's 2 for 16 with six strikeouts in four road games this month.

Albert Pujols is 1 for 12 and has fanned four times over the last three overall.

Each is 0 for 4 while combining for four strikeouts against John Danks (6-9, 4.79 ERA), who has overcome eight walks to yield one run over 18 1-3 innings to go 2-0 in his last three home starts. The left-hander also was solid on the road for four innings before giving up three runs in the fifth and sixth of Friday's 3-2 loss to Kansas City.

"All my stuff is a little better, but I'd say the cutter is more consistent," Danks told MLB's official website. "Just staying down in the zone better. The balls that got up were the balls that hurt me (Friday). I feel good about where I am."

He gave up two runs and struck out 10 in 7 2-3 innings while not factoring in the decision of a 3-2 home win over the Angels last season.

Danks will try to help the White Sox (53-58) match a season high with their fourth consecutive home victory. Carlos Rodon struck out a career-high 11 over seven innings, Melky Cabrera had two RBIs and rookie outfielder Trayce Thompson belted his first career homer for Chicago, which has outscored the Angels 11-2 in the first two of the series after losing eight of the previous 10.

Thompson is 4 for 9 in four games since making his major league debut last Tuesday.

Cabrera is batting .397 in his last 20 games and has 23 RBIs in his last 21.

Chicago gets its first look at rookie Andrew Heaney (5-1, 2.45), who looks to rebound from his worst start of the season after yielding four runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings while not factoring in the decision of an 8-4 home victory over Baltimore on Friday.

The left-hander, however, is 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA on the road this season.

Teammate David DeJesus is 2 for 27 in 10 games since being acquired by the Angels on July 28, but could make his first appearance in this set based on a .360 average in 25 at-bats against Danks.