White Sox Fall To Angels 6-2
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jason Vargas scattered four hits through seven scoreless innings, Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick each hit two-run doubles, and the Los Angeles Angels coaxed a pair of bases-loaded walks out of Jake Peavy in the fourth inning of a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Vargas (3-3) struck out six and walked three while helping the Angels gain a split of the four-game series. The middle of the Chicago lineup — Alex Rios, Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko — were a combined 0 for 8 with a walk against the left-hander, who posted his first victory in six career starts against the White Sox.
Peavy (5-2) gave up four runs, four hits and five walks over six innings after going 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA in his previous five starts. The 2007 NL Cy Young winner is 0-4 with a 6.06 ERA in six career starts against the Angels.
Rios drove in Chicago's first run with an eighth-inning double against Dane De La Rosa. It extended Rios' hitting streak to 14 games, eclipsing his previous best in 2006 with Toronto.
Ernesto Frieri was called in to protect a 4-1 lead, trying to get his second four-out save in two days.
The right-hander walked three batters in the ninth this time before notching his ninth save in 10 attempts overall. Frieri gave up a sacrifice fly by Alejandro De Aza before retiring Alexei Ramirez on a flyball to end it.
Kendrick gave Frieri a couple of insurance runs in the eighth with his double inside third base against rookie Brian Omogrosso.
Los Angeles opened the scoring in the third when Chris Iannetta drew a leadoff walk, J.B. Shuck followed with a single and Aybar drove both of them in with his double to right before he was erased in a rundown.
Peavy, who threw 83 of his 117 pitches in the first four innings, walked four more batters in the fourth — including Iannetta and Aybar with the bases loaded — and the Angels increased the margin to 4-0. Two innings later, Peavy struck out the side on 18 pitches.
Iannetta's second walk was his 14th in a span of 33 plate appearances, including four on Saturday. He has 27 overall, just two fewer than he had last season in 221 plate appearances. His career high is 70, with Colorado in 2011.
NOTES: Peavy had issued eight walks in 45 2-3 innings over his seven previous starts this season. The three-time All-Star, who led the NL in strikeouts in 2005 and 2007 with San Diego, got the 1,800th of his career in the first inning when he caught Mike Trout looking. ... INF Chris Nelson was added to the Angels' 25-man roster, one day after he was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees. They are the third team he's been with this season, including Colorado. ... The Angels optioned 3B Luis Jimenez to Triple-A Salt Lake, and sent outright RHP Barry Enright to Salt Lake after he cleared waivers. Enright had been designated for assignment on May 16, one day after giving up four runs in two-plus innings against Kansas City in a 9-5 loss. ... Dunn returned to the lineup as the designated hitter, after leaving Saturday's game in the fifth inning because of back spasms. He finished 0 for 3 with three strikeouts and a walk. ... The White Sox return home to start an eight-game homestand on Monday against Boston.
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