Angels 4, White Sox 2: Mark Trumbo capped a four-run first inning with a two-run single as host Los Angeles inched closer to a postseason berth.
Albert Pujols and Torii Hunter also had RBI hits while Dan Haren tossed six-plus solid innings for the Angels, who improved to 3-2 on their nine-game homestand and climbed within 2 1/2 games of Oakland for the second wild-card spot in the American League.
Paul Konerko hit a solo home run and Alex Rios collected three hits for the White Sox, who lost their fourth in a row and saw their lead over Detroit in the AL Central shrink to one-half game.
Pujols opened the scoring with a ground-rule RBI double off Jose Quintana (6-5) and Hunter followed with a run-scoring single before getting caught in a rundown between first and second. Three batters later, Trumbo doubled the lead with a base hit to right field, giving him a career-high 89 RBIs.
Haren (12-11) allowed two runs and six hits en route to his fourth win in five starts. Ernesto Frieri worked a scoreless ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Los Angeles OF Mike Trout scored his 121st run of the season, putting him within three of matching Vladimir Guerrero's franchise record set in 2004. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura was ejected by first base umpire Ed Hickox in the fourth inning for arguing a balk call against Quintana, who surrendered four runs - one earned - and six hits in five frames. ... Haren has allowed three runs or less in nine of his last 11 starts.
Chi. White Sox | LA Angels | |
Jose Quintana | Player | Dan Haren |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.0 | IP | 6.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 4 |
6 | Hits | 6 |
1.80 | ERA | 3.00 |
Chi. White Sox | LA Angels | |
Alex Rios | Player | Alberto Jose Callaspo |
3 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 3 |
.750 | Avg | .500 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Chi. White Sox | 8 | 1 | 12 | .242 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
LA Angels | 7 | 0 | 9 | .241 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 |