Texas @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2011 ) Texas 7, Chi. White Sox 4

THE STORY: After hitting a bump in the road the previous day, the Texas Rangers got back on track Friday with a 7-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the opener of their three-game series, which continues at U.S. Cellular Field on Saturday. The American League West-leading Rangers improved to 7-1 on their 10-game road trip by winning for the 10th time in 12 contests overall. The triumph helped Texas maintain its six-game division lead over Los Angeles. The loss was Chicago's third in a row and dropped it to 3-4 on its nine-game homestand. The White Sox fell five games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Alexi Ogando (12-5, 3.33 ERA) vs. White Sox LH John Danks (5-9, 3.95 ERA).

Ogando is 2-0 over his last three starts despite allowing eight hits in each game and a total of 12 runs. The 27-year old yielded four runs over 6 1/3 innings in a triumph at Los Angeles on Monday. Ogando stymied the White Sox on May 23, limiting the club to five singles en route to his first career shutout.

Danks is coming off a victory over Kansas City on Sunday in which he surrendered two runs in six innings. He has gone 4-1 over his last nine starts after losing his first eight decisions of the season. Danks has not fared well against Texas during his career, going 1-4 with a 4.00 ERA in seven outings.

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (61-63): One day after taking a line drive to the face, Phil Humber was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a facial contusion. Humber was struck above his right eye with a line drive by Kosuke Fukudome in the second inning of Thursday's 4-2 loss to Cleveland. Fellow righthander Josh Kinney was brought up from Triple-A Charlotte to fill the roster spot. Kinney struck out six over three scoreless innings Friday in his first major-league appearance since 2009 with St. Louis. Carlos Quentin has been hit by a pitch 23 times this season, tops in the majors. It also is ties him with Minnie Minoso,for the franchise single-season record. Minoso was beaned 23 times in 1956.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (73-53): By winning one of the next two games, Texas will claim another season series against Chicago. The Rangers have gone 4-0-2 against the White Sox since 2005, posting a 31-21 record during that span. Mike Napoli went 1-for-2 on Friday to extend his road hitting streak to 20 games. It is the second-longest stretch of its kind in club history behind Rafael Palmeiro's 30-game run on the road in 1993.

FINAL PITCH: After sitting out Thursday's loss at Los Angeles, Mitch Moreland returned to Texas' lineup with a bang. Moreland recorded his third career two-homer performance and matched his career high with five RBIs.