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Quentin, White Sox look to keep rolling vs. Orioles

Apr 20, 2009 - 10:45 PM By Kate Hedlin Stats Writer

Chi White Sox (7-5) at Baltimore (6-7), 7:05 p.m. EDT

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Carlos Quentin's breakout season of 2008 was marred somewhat when he broke his wrist and missed the final month, including the playoffs, for Chicago.

He has quickly put to rest any concerns about regaining his swing.

Quentin and the White Sox look to win their third straight Tuesday when they open a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

After hitting 14 home runs in 138 games for Arizona in 2006 and 2007, Quentin led Chicago (7-5) with 36 homers and 100 RBIs last season before he underwent surgery in September on his wrist, which he broke after slamming his hand into his bat. Quentin missed the first round of the playoffs, which Chicago lost in four games to Tampa Bay.

The White Sox left fielder showed over the weekend that the Rays' playoff run may have been a lot shorter if he had been in the lineup. Quentin homered three times and drove in five runs in the four-game set with Tampa Bay. The White Sox took three of four, scoring 28 runs and hitting eight homers.

"You can see how effective this lineup can be, one through nine, with our potential," Quentin told the White Sox's official Web site. "Everyone is trying to achieve their best potential, and we'll take that every day."

While the White Sox offense is heating up, the Orioles (6-7) stumbled throughout a four-game sweep by the Red Sox over the weekend, getting outscored 30-14. They lost Monday's finale 12-1, managing just five hits.

It was also a difficult series for the Orioles bullpen. Baltimore relievers allowed nine runs over three innings of work Monday and were 0-1 with an 8.74 ERA in 11 1-3 innings in the four games.

"We didn't pitch well, except for (Sunday)," left fielder Luke Scott said. "When we score runs, we've got to have guys hold it on the mound. When guys are struggling on the mound, we've got to pick up the slack and swing the bats."

Baltimore hopes to get one of its better hitters back Tuesday after Adam Jones sat out Monday with a tight right hamstring. Jones is hitting .372 with two homers, six doubles and 12 RBIs.

The Orioles offense will try to bounce back at home, where it's 4-2 and averaged 5.5 runs. They'll open against Jose Contreras (0-2, 6.97 ERA), who has struggled in his first two starts back after rupturing his Achilles' tendon in August.

Contreras went 5 1-3 innings against Detroit last Wednesday, allowing five runs and five hits in a 9-0 loss.

"I'm a little frustrated because of the end result of the games ... but I'm not frustrated because I feel good physically," Contreras said.

Contreras is 5-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 11 starts against the Orioles. He was 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in two starts against them last April.

Brad Bergesen, meanwhile, will take the mound for Baltimore in his major league debut. Bergesen is expected to be called up from Triple-A Norfolk before the game to take the spot of Alfredo Simon, who is out for a month with an elbow injury. The 23-year-old right-hander was 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA at Norfolk.

Chicago took three of five in Baltimore last season.