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Pirates-White Sox Preview

May 23, 2009 - 9:59 PM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

Pittsburgh (19-23) at Chicago (18-23), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Earlier this week, it appeared Clayton Richard was going to be dealt for a Cy Young Award winner.

On Saturday night, though, he will be on the mound trying to help the light-hitting Chicago White Sox win their seventh straight at home over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the middle game of their interleague series.

Several reports Thursday said the White Sox were prepared to send Richard (0-0, 4.33 ERA) and top pitching prospect Aaron Poreda to San Diego as part of a package for 2007 NL Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, who ended up refusing to waive his no-trade clause.

Richard was not directly informed of the proposed trade, according to the White Sox's official Web site. Still, the left-hander took it all in stride.

"You can look at it like someone's trying to get rid of you or you can look at it like someone's trying to get you," he said. "Either way, it's not going to give you an accurate show of what you're worth.

"There's so many things that go into a trade that, as a player, you can't really worry about it. You just have to worry about what you can control."

After 12 relief appearances, Richard will make his third start of 2009 in search of some consistency. He struggled over 3 1-3 innings May 12 in Chicago's 7-4 win over Cleveland but pitched well in a 3-2 loss to Toronto on Monday, allowing two runs and three hits over a career-high seven innings.

"I'm really excited about what he did, for himself and for the ballclub," manager Ozzie Guillen said.

The White Sox (18-23) certainly have been excited when seeing Pittsburgh (19-23) come in to visit. Chicago managed only six hits off Zach Duke but won 2-0 on Friday, one day after losing 20-1 at home to Minnesota.

Gavin Floyd surrendered two hits over eight innings and Scott Podsednik had an RBI groundout scoring Alexei Ramirez, who later added his second homer. Chicago - near the bottom of the AL with a .245 batting average - has been held to six hits or less 14 times this year, posting a 4-10 record.

"It was kind of exciting to know that we were trying to get Peavy," Floyd said. "It didn't happen. No big deal. I think we have a good enough team now to compete and win the division."

Pittsburgh's 63-104 record and .377 winning percentage in interleague play are the worst in the majors.

Ross Ohlendorf (5-3, 4.31), tied with Duke for the Pirates' lead in victories, looks to win a third straight start for the second time in 2009. The right-hander was 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA from April 20-May 2.

Ohlendorf continued his winning ways Monday against NL-worst Washington despite giving up a season high-tying five runs and six hits in the 12-7 victory.

His only career appearance against the White Sox was forgettable. Playing with the New York Yankees on April 24, 2008, Ohlendorf was ripped for five runs and five hits in two innings of relief in the 7-6 loss at U.S. Cellular Field.