White Sox at Angels
With a forecast of mostly sunny skies and a zero chance of precipitation for Thursday afternoon’s series finale between the White Sox and Angels in Anaheim, C.J. Wilson will deal only with Chicago’s lineup and not Mother Nature. The Angels left-hander faced five batters before Friday’s game in Texas was delayed two hours because of rain. He didn’t return and started Saturday’s game instead.
The Angels had an occurrence almost as rare as rain in Southern California on Wednesday when Albert Pujols homered. His second blast of the season helped the Angels to a 7-2 victory in the series opener. Los Angeles and Chicago are 17-21 and third in their respective divisions. The Angels will try for their second three-game winning streak of the season when they take on the White Sox’ Chris Sale, who is back in the rotation after an appearance as a closer.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, CS Chicago, FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (3-2, 3.08 ERA) vs. Angels LH C.J. Wilson (4-3, 3.42)
Sale allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings in last outing, a 5-0 loss to Kansas City on Saturday. Sale, 23, could have been a bit out of sorts after blowing a save in Chicago’s 5-3 victory at Cleveland on May 8 and talking his way back into the rotation. He has a 1.13 WHIP and 33 strikeouts against only 11 walks in 38 innings. Sale is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA on the road.
Wilson allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings and didn’t receive a decision in Los Angeles’ 4-2 victory Saturday. Wilson, though, was charged with four runs in one-third of an inning and took the loss in Friday’s 10-3 setback. He is 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in 12 lifetime appearances against Chicago, including 2-0 in two starts. The White Sox’ roster is batting .250 against him, with 11 strikeouts and no home runs in 48 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said catcher A.J. Pierzynski will rest in two of the next five games. The first will likely come Thursday afternoon after he went 1-for-3 on Wednesday night following a 5-for-5 performance Tuesday.
2. Chicago pregame instructor Kevin Hickey, 56, died Wednesday after a lengthy illness. He pitched six seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and the White Sox.
3. The White Sox head to Wrigley Field for a three-game series with the Cubs while the Angels begin a 10-game road trip in San Diego.