Saunders helps Angels beat White Sox, avoid sweep

[September 08, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Joe Saunders flashed his All-Star form while earning his first win in over a month, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep.

Joe Saunders flashed his All-Star form while earning his first win in over a month, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The AL West leaders moved a step closer to their fourth division title in five years, thanks to a solid effort by Saunders and a questionable decision by Jermaine Dye to catch pinch-hitter Garrett Anderson's sacrifice fly in foul territory in the eighth. The Angels hung on after blowing a three-run lead the previous night and ultimately losing 7-6 on Jim Thome's homer in the 15th inning.

Saunders (15-7) earned his first win since July 30, holding AL Central-leading Chicago to two runs and four hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked one after going 0-2 in his previous six starts -- exactly what the Angels needed after the bullpen worked 15 innings in the previous two games.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 55th save in 61 chances after allowing the tying run in Saturday night's loss. He is two shy of Bobby Thigpen's major league record of 57 set in 1990 for the White Sox.

Paul Konerko homered for the third straight game and Toby Hall went deep in the fifth to help the White Sox build a 2-0 lead, but Los Angeles knocked out John Danks during a two-run sixth.

The Angels went ahead for good in the eighth. Gary Matthews' leadoff single and Mark Teixeira's double put runners on second and third and chased Horacio Ramirez (1-4). Ehren Wasserman came in and retired Vladimir Guerrero on a grounder before intentionally walking Torii Hunter to load the bases.

Anderson then sent a flyball down the right-field line that Dye decided to catch in foul territory rather than let drop, allowing Matthews to score the go-ahead run.

A wild weekend that started with the announcement that MVP candidate Carlos Quentin needs surgery on his broken right wrist and could miss the rest of the season also ended on a sour note for the White Sox.

 Danks looked strong early on but seemed to tire in the sixth.

Mark Teixeira doubled with one out, moved to third on Guerrero's single and scored on Hunter's double to right-center. D.J. Carrasco came in, and Guerrero scored on Rivera's roller toward third before Brandon Wood struck out to end the threat.

Danks allowed two runs and five hits, but did little to dispel Ozzie Guillen's theory that he's tired. The manager said before the game that the left-hander might skip a start if he struggles.

Notes: Konerko homered in four straight games from Sept. 4-7, 2005. ... Los Angeles called up RHP Kevin Jepsen from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, adding another arm to an overworked bullpen. Angels relievers pitched 7 2-3 innings in Friday's 10-2 loss to the White Sox and 7 1-3 during Saturday's 15-inning 7-6 loss to Chicago. Jepsen, who has no major league experience, was 3-4 with a 1.81 ERA and 13 saves in 40 minor league games this year.

[Associated Press; By ANDREW SELIGMAN]

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