CLEVELAND -- If you ask Indians pitching coach Carl Willis what Fausto Carmona needs to regain his 2007 form, he'll give you a simple answer. More starts. That's it.

Carmona will make his fifth start since his two-month stint on the disabled list when he takes on the Angels at Progressive Field on Saturday afternoon in the FOX Game of the Week. In regional action, the Mariners take on the Twins at the Metrodome.

Carmona has had a bumpy ride since he returned from the DL on July 26 -- more than two months since he was shelved with a strained hip. He got the biggest bump out of the way in his first start -- a 2 1/3-inning, nine-run outing against the Twins -- but has rarely resembled the untouchable sinkerballer of last season.

"There are some signs there of what he does and does well," Willis said. "He needs to get more consistent with that."

Though he made a number of relief outings in 2006, Carmona had his first true year in the big leagues last season, baffling first-time hitters with a sharp-breaking, 90-plus-mph sinker that either left batters pounding the ball into the ground or, simply, whiffing.

So, as he stands with a 5-4 record, a 4.91 ERA and just 35 strikeouts to go along with his 51 walks, is it safe to say Carmona has been figured out?

"I think the league had him figured out after the first half of last year," Willis said. "It's just that his stuff is so electric, when he's on and he's down on the plate, they know what he is going to do, but they still can't help but hit the baseball on the ground."

Fortunately for Carmona, he's had much better luck keeping the ball on the ground when the sun is still shining and the lights are off. Lifetime, Carmona is 12-4 with a 2.81 ERA in day games.

"There could possibly be some impatience or anxiety in waiting for a night game," Willis said. "In a day game, you get up, you come to the ballpark and get right to your routine. You don't have to wait."

The wait may finally end on Saturday for Carmona to snap out of his prolonged stretch of mediocre outings, especially if he can make it work against the American League West-leading Angels.

"If his stuff is there," Willis said, "it really doesn't matter who he is facing."

Pitching matchup
CLE: RHP Fausto Carmona (5-4, 4.91 ERA)
Before and after the left hip strain that cost him two months of action, Carmona hasn't been the same pitcher in 2008 that he was in '07. He's lost precise command of his once-trusty sinker, as evidenced by the 51 walks he's issued in 71 innings. Four of those walks came in a rough no-decision against the Orioles on Monday, when Carmona also gave up seven runs on six hits with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He was staked to a big lead early, but couldn't hold on.

LAA: RHP John Lackey (9-2, 3.15 ERA)
Lackey showed his resolve in an uneven performance against the Yankees on Saturday, leaving two runners stranded on three occasions by striking out Xavier Nady, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod and Jason Giambi hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, and three straight singles gave the Yanks a two-run lead that they would surrender. Lackey walked one and struck out five while scattering nine hits. Lackey is 4-5 in 11 career outings against the Indians and is a deceptive 2-2 at Progressive Field, with a 0.99 ERA in four starts.

Tidbits
The Indians have won seven out of 10. ... Cliff Lee became the first AL pitcher to 17 wins on Friday night. He notched his third complete game of the season. ... Jhonny Peralta has hit safely in 16 of his past 17 games, batting .324 during that span. ... Shin-Soo Choo has eight doubles in his past eight games. ... Ryan Garko is batting .370 with eight RBIs over his past seven games.

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On the Internet
 MLB.TV
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•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• FOX

On radio
• WTAM 1100

Up next
• Sunday: Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 1-6, 5.70) vs. Angels (Joe Saunders, 14-5, 3.07), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Indians (Anthony Reyes, 3-2, 3.67) vs. Royals (Luke Hochevar, 6-11, 5.44), 7:05 p.m. ET