Angels at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox mustered just five runs in their previous four contests before matching that total on Tuesday to even their four-game series with the visiting Los Angeles Angels at one victory apiece. The White Sox hope to have more offense in the tank on Wednesday afternoon, when they send ace Chris Sale to the mound to face the sputtering Angels, who have dropped four of their last five.
Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier showed signs of breaking out of their respective slumps with solo homers on Tuesday as Chicago snapped a three-game skid with a 5-0 victory. Abreu, who entered the contest mired in a 3-for-25 slump, is 4-for-6 with one blast and four RBIs against Wednesday starter Garrett Richards. Los Angeles' Andrelton Simmons recorded a double to extend his career-high hitting streak to 12 games but has yet to face Sale. Struggling slugger Albert Pujols has gone 1-for-16 following a five-game hitting streak and is just 2-for-15 (.133) lifetime versus Chicago's stud hurler.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (0-2, 3.57 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (3-0, 2.35)
After losing his first two starts, Richards was in line for his first win of the season on Friday before the bullpen squandered a lead en route to a 5-4 setback against Minnesota. The 27-year-old allowed just two runs and four hits in six innings versus the Twins and struck out six for the second straight outing. Richards looks to rebound versus Chicago, against which he permitted two earned runs in seven strong innings in his last start to improve to 2-0 versus the club.
Sale continued his stellar season by going the distance on Friday, scattering two hits and striking out nine in a 1-0 victory over Tampa Bay. Last season's American League strikeout leader has picked up where he left off, fanning 23 in 25 innings in 2016. The 27-year-old Sale has handcuffed the Angels in his career, posting a 4-0 record and 1.64 ERA while limiting the club to a .158 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago RHP Matt Albers has not allowed a run in his last 30 innings (27 games).
2. Los Angeles 3B Yunel Escobar is 1-for-13 in his last three contests following a seven-game hitting streak.
3. White Sox LF Melky Cabrera has recorded six multi-hit performances in his last eight starts.