GavinFloyd
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W10 | 68 |
| L10 | 65 |
| G26 | 191 |
| IP150.0 | 1109.0 |
| BB55 | 370 |
| SO124 | 858 |
JeredWeaver
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W18 | 100 |
| L4 | 50 |
| G27 | 203 |
| IP174.1 | 1297.0 |
| BB40 | 348 |
| SO132 | 1101 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W10 | 68 |
| L10 | 65 |
| G26 | 191 |
| IP150.0 | 1109.0 |
| BB55 | 370 |
| SO124 | 858 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W18 | 100 |
| L4 | 50 |
| G27 | 203 |
| IP174.1 | 1297.0 |
| BB40 | 348 |
| SO132 | 1101 |
While the Los Angeles Angels are mounting a late charge for the second AL wild card, the Chicago White Sox are watching their lead in the AL Central evaporate.
Jered Weaver aims to become the AL's first 19-game winner Sunday when the Angels conclude a three-game series against the slumping White Sox, who could fall out of first place in the Central by the end of the night.
Los Angeles (83-69) pulled within 2 1/2 games of Oakland for the second wild card after a 4-2 win Saturday, combined with the Athletics' second straight extra-inning loss in New York.
The Angels (83-69) have won six of nine. Mark Trumbo 's two-run double capped a four-run first Saturday and Dan Haren went six innings.
"Every guy has a ton of fight left in them and that's really what you want," Trumbo said.The Angels figure to have a good shot at the sweep with Weaver (18-4, 2.79 ERA), who will look to win his third straight start. After throwing seven scoreless innings against Oakland on Sept. 13, he gave up three runs on a pair of homers over seven innings of an 11-3 win against Texas on Tuesday for his 100th career victory.
"It's an honor to do it all in an Angels uniform," said Weaver, a Los Angeles-area native. "I wouldn't have it any other way."Getting win No. 101 may not be any more difficult given his success against the White Sox. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 1.61 ERA in nine career outings versus Chicago.
Paul Konerko is 1 for 20 against Weaver. Konerko homered Saturday, but is hitting .172 (5 for 29) over his last eight games.
Chicago (81-70) has totaled seven runs during a four-game skid which has cause its Central lead to dwindle to one-half game over Detroit. The Tigers play a doubleheader against Minnesota on Sunday.
"There's stress and stuff like that because you want to win games, but we'd rather be doing this than trying to ruin somebody else's postseason chances," said manager Robin Ventura , who was ejected for arguing a balk call.
The White Sox, looking to avoid their first five-game skid since July 18-22, will hand the ball to Gavin Floyd (10-10, 4.50), who is coming off one of his better recent outings.
Floyd allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings of Tuesday's 3-2 win against Kansas City, his second start after his second stint of the season on the disabled list due to elbow problems.
The right-hander failed to make it out of the fifth against Detroit on Sept. 12, and had been unable to make it out of the third in his final two starts prior to going on the DL.
"It's great especially after sitting for 15 days and more than that before," he said. "It's nice to get back out there and just be part of the team and contribute."
Floyd has been knocked around in two starts against the Angels this season - both Chicago losses - allowing 12 runs and 18 hits over 12 1-3 innings.
Angels slugger Albert Pujols is 3 for 7 with a pair of home runs against Floyd this year, while rookie phenom Mike Trout is 4 for 6.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Gordon Beckham | 5 | .200 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .200 | .400 | .200 |
| Alejandro De Aza | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .400 | .900 | .500 |
| Adam Dunn | 6 | .167 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .834 | .667 |
| Tyler Flowers | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Kosuke Fukudome | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Paul Konerko | 20 | .050 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | .048 | .098 | .050 |
| Brent Lillibridge | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | 1.000 | .667 |
| Brent Morel | 7 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .125 | .125 | .000 |
| A.J. Pierzynski | 20 | .250 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .348 | .598 | .250 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 16 | .313 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .313 | .688 | .375 |
| Alex Rios | 22 | .182 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | .240 | .558 | .318 |
| Dayan Viciedo | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Bobby Abreu | 22 | .227 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 7 | .280 | .598 | .318 |
| Erick Aybar | 8 | .250 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .625 | .375 |
| Alberto Callaspo | 22 | .318 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .348 | .939 | .591 |
| Scott Downs | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Torii Hunter | 23 | .174 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .240 | .675 | .435 |
| Chris Iannetta | 6 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Maicer Izturis | 20 | .350 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .381 | .831 | .450 |
| Howie Kendrick | 9 | .333 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .333 | 1.111 | .778 |
| Kendrys Morales | 7 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .125 | .125 | .000 |
| Albert Pujols | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Mark Trumbo | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .000 |
| Vernon Wells | 18 | .389 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | .421 | 1.199 | .778 |
| Bobby Wilson | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 1.000 | .500 |
Chicago White Sox |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 07, 2012 | Adam Dunn | Day-to-Day | Strained right oblique |
| August 27, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | 15-Day DL | Right elbow flexor strain |
| August 27, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | 15-Day DL | Right elbow flexor strain |
| August 25, 2012 | Dayan Viciedo | Day-to-Day | Right shoulder soreness |
| August 19, 2012 | Kevin Youkilis | Day-to-Day | Sore right knee |
| August 18, 2012 | Alejandro De Aza | 15-Day DL | Bruised left ribcage |
Los Angeles Angels |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 30, 2012 | Howie Kendrick | Day-to-Day | Left game - sore right knee |
| August 22, 2012 | Albert Pujols | Day-to-Day | Left game - right calf tightness |
| August 19, 2012 | Peter Bourjos | 15-Day DL | Sore right wrist |
| August 19, 2012 | Peter Bourjos | 15-Day DL | Sore right wrist |
| August 13, 2012 | C.J. Wilson | Day-to-Day | Left game - bruised left hand |
| July 30, 2012 | Mark Trumbo | Day-to-Day | Back spasms |
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- The way things are going for the Los Angeles Angels , it's difficult for Jered Weaver to focus on the fact that he is one victory away from his first 20-win season in the majors.
Then again, the only reason the Angels still have a shot at a postseason berth is because their ace keeps winning. Weaver kept them within striking distance in the AL wild-card chase, posting his league-leading 19th victory on Sunday with a 4-1 decision over the struggling Chicago White Sox.
Albert Pujols reached the 100-RBI mark for the 11th time in 12 big league seasons with a two-run double as the Angels remained 2 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second wild-card spot. Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer that helped the Angels complete a three-game sweep.
"Obviously there's a little bit of scoreboard watching going on now as we dwindle now here," Weaver said. "But we've got to do what we've got to do and not worry about what other teams are doing. It's obviously a great sweep, and hopefully we can keep it rolling against Seattle."
The White Sox lost their fifth in a row and led Detroit by a half-game in the AL Central. The Tigers lost the opener of their day-night doubleheader against Minnesota.
Weaver (19-4) threw 113 pitches in 6 1-3 innings, allowing a run and five hits with four strikeouts and dropping his ERA to 2.74. He finished his home slate 11-2, including a no-hitter against Minnesota on May 2.
The three-time All-Star right-hander established a career high for wins, eclipsing his total from last season.
"To get one more than last year is great, and now I've got a couple more starts to try and get 20," Weaver said. "It wasn't a personal goal of mine by any means, but it's nice to get a new career high. Any win right now is important, personal accolades aside. That's what we've got to do - win ballgames, no matter what it takes."
The victory didn't come easily for Weaver, who battled through 94-degree heat during a 33-pitch first inning. He escaped a bases-loaded jam, striking out Alex Rios at the end of an 11-pitch at-bat and retiring A.J. Pierzynski on a grounder.
"It felt like it was a million degrees out there," Weaver said. "Having to throw upwards of 30 pitches in the first is obviously not what you want to do, but they made me work. That's what their game plan was, and they did a good job of it. It was a little erratic and it could have been a lot worse, so it was good to come out of that first one unscathed and be able to extend it into the seventh."
White Sox manager Robin Ventura bemoaned his team's failure again to come through in the clutch. They were 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position during the series.
"We had Weaver in trouble early and were in a really good position, but he showed again why he's a good pitcher and we just couldn't cash in," Ventura said. "I'm sure he's been in situations like that before."
Kevin Jepsen threw 1 2-3 scoreless innings in relief of Weaver. Garrett Richards , Scott Downs and Ernesto Frieri each retired a batter in the ninth because of lefty-righty matchups.
"The reason we did that today was because a lot of our bullpen guys had been pitching a lot," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Garrett had a little bit in him, Downs had a little bit in him and Ernie has a little bit in him. So when you added it up, you hope you'll get a full inning."
Gavin Floyd (10-11) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings while striking out eight.
Chicago's only run came in the seventh, when Pierzynski doubled, advanced on Weaver's wild pitch and scored on Dayan Viciedo 's sacrifice fly.
Floyd matched zeros with Weaver until the sixth, when the Angels erupted for four runs. Mike Trout walked with one out, Torii Hunter sent him to third with a hit-and-run single to left field, Pujols lined the next pitch to left field to score both runners and Morales followed with his 22nd homer.
"You walk the first guy - and not a good guy to walk because it puts a lot of pressure on you with Trout getting on base," Floyd said. "Torii got the base hit, and it happened pretty quick. It wasn't one of those drawn-out innings."
NOTES: Weaver is 101-51 with a 3.23 ERA through his first 205 major league starts. Brother Jeff was 76-84 record with a 3.09 ERA in his first 205 big league starts with the Tigers, Yankees and Dodgers. ... The Angels have won only five games all season in which they scored fewer than three runs, and five different pitchers started those games. Oddly enough, Weaver wasn't one of them. ... The Angels have swept seven series of three or more games this season, and five of them have come since Aug. 20, including a three-game set against Detroit on their previous homestand. ... Paul Konerko is 2 for 22 lifetime against Weaver after going 1 for 2 with a walk. ... Trout has scored a major league-high 122 runs, two shy of the Angels' franchise record set by Vladimir Guerrero in 2004.