White Sox Game Notes For Monday vs

The Angels (61-57), coming off a 1-6 road trip that culminated with a heartbreaking 4-3, 10-inning loss Sunday at Kansas City, pulled within 2 1/2 games of first-place Houston in the AL West. Chicago is 55-61.

Cron hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, Pujols also homered and Heaney pitched six effective innings in the Angels’ 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon (5-5) pitched well too, throwing an eight-inning complete game and allowing just four hits.

“To be able to get a pitch like that in a 3-2 count and the bases loaded and just stick it, I think it says a lot about Andrew”, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. I let the team down yesterday by not executing and that really frustrated me; it really, really frustrated me. After fouling off a changeup, Flowers was caught looking at a fastball for strike three to end the threat.

Two pitches prior, Heaney called his catcher, Carlos Perez to the mound for a quick conference.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play, maybe try to find a gap there to get in scoring position”, Cron said. “Then he came back with the changeup away and fortunately I put a good swing on it”.

The Sox, who dealt with several of their own pitchers’ mistakes during a 2-4 homestand, were happy to take help from the misdeeds of an opponent.

Facing the Los Angels Angels for the second time in seven days, Rodon had another outstanding performance Monday night in a 2-1 loss.

“After the first homer, the way he responded to it was great”, manager Robin Ventura said.

“This was probably his best stuff”. He wasn’t necessarily relying on his slider as much.

Kole Calhoun matched a career high with his 17 home run of the season yesterday. LHP Drew Smyly (torn left labrum) is scheduled to make his third minor league rehab start on Thursday. The four-time All-Star gave up six hits over 5-plus innings.

Adam Eaton scored the tying run in the third on an error by second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who airmailed his throw to first base on what appeared to be a flawless inning-ending, double-play grounder to shortstop by Melky Cabrera with runners at first and second.

The Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox face off on Tuesday in Anaheim for game two of their Major League Baseball series. Wilson, who is expected to be ready to return by spring training next season, went 8-8 with a 3.89 ERA in 21 starts….

The left-hander had allowed a combined 12 runs over 7 2/3 innings in his prior two starts and worked out of a first-inning jam against Los Angeles.

Rodon walked three and struck out five over eight innings.