Los Angeles @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2012 ) LA Angels 6, Chi. White Sox 8

Chicago has regained control of the American League Central by winning eight of its last 10 games, including an 8-6 walk-off thriller in Friday’s series opener. The White Sox remain 2 1/2 games ahead of Detroit after Alex Rios stunned Los Angeles with his second home run of the night in the 10th inning. The Angels, losers of three straight, fell six games back of Texas in the AL West but still have a tenuous hold on the second wild-card spot, half a game in front of Detroit and Tampa Bay.

Both teams have gotten strong starting pitching in 2012, but it will be a pair of inconsistent hurlers doing battle on Saturday. Ervin Santana has had a largely forgettable campaign for the Angels, while Chicago’s Gavin Floyd has bounced back recently after a rough start to the season. Los Angeles rookie OF Mike Trout is positioning himself as a potential Most Valuable Player, batting an AL-best .347 and recently being named the league’s Player of the Month for July. Chicago has five players with at least 16 home runs, paced by major-league leader Adam Dunn with 31.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Ervin Santana (5-10, 5.97 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Gavin Floyd (8-9, 4.28)

Santana finally broke a five-start winless streak in his last outing on July 30. Though he lasted just five innings (4 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K) in a wild win over Texas, that was an improvement over the rest of his month — the right-hander failed to get out of the second inning twice in three starts. Santana is 4-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 13 lifetime meetings with the White Sox.

Floyd has lowered his ERA by almost a run and a half since late June, going 4-2 with just seven earned runs allowed in 39 innings over his last six starts. He was a tough-luck loser in his July 29 start at Texas, giving up just two runs (one earned) in a 2-0 setback. Floyd has made eight career starts against the Angels, including a lopsided defeat on May 16 (6 IP, 10 H, 7 ER).

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago is 11-1 in its last 12 home games. The Angels, meanwhile, have dropped 10 of their last 14 on the road.

2. The White Sox have lost Floyd’s last five starts against AL West teams, but Los Angeles is just 6-18 in Santana’s last 24 starts overall.

3. The Angels are a combined 43-for-148 (.291) against Floyd, led by Vernon Wells (8-for-20, 2 HR, 7 RBIs) and Maicer Izturis (7-for-20, 4 RBIs).