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Thome's late RBI single propels White Sox past Angels

May 16, 2008 - 6:31 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Jim Thome couldn't have picked a better time to get his first hit of the series.

Thome hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, sending the Chicago White Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Thursday.

Entering his final at-bat in a 0-for-13 slump during the four-game series with the Angels, Thome drove a two-out, second-pitch changeup from Anaheim closer Francisco Rodriguez (0-1) into center field to score A.J. Pierzynski.

"It was a big hit," Thome said. "I don't like to struggle but it's just part of the game and you just have to keep the same approach, no matter what."

Octavio Dotel (2-2), who stranded the go-ahead run at third in the seventh, pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Closer Bobby Jenks pitched a flawless ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.

The go-ahead hit by Thome granted the White Sox a series split in this four-game set and bailed the team out of a costly seventh-inning fielding error by third baseman Joe Crede that allowed the tying run to score.

"It's huge to come out of here with a split in the series, because they are a very good team," Thome said.

With two outs in the inning, Crede committed his eighth error of the season when he had trouble corralling Garret Anderson's slow bouncer to his left side, which allowed Maicer Izturis to score from third.

Dotel relieved Matt Thornton and, following a walk to Torii Hunter, ended the threat when he forced Casey Kotchman to ground into a fielder's choice to retire Hunter at second.

"They gave us a big opportunity to push across another run and tie the game up but we needed one more big hit to take the lead and couldn't come up with it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

After scoring a single run in Wednesday's loss the White Sox, the Angels topped that mark in the first inning with a run-scoring single from Anderson and an RBI double by Kotchman.

The White Sox responded with a three-run second, getting an RBI fielder's choice on a groundout and a sacrifice fly from Orlando Cabrera before Pierzynski plated the last run of the frame with a run-scoring double.

After surrendering five runs combined through 1 1/2 innings, starting pitchers Jon Garland and Javier Vazquez engaged in a pitchers' duel.

"The way the game started out it looked like it was going to be one of those high-scoring games, but we (he and Vazquez) settled in," Garland said.

Garland, acquired in an offseason trade with Chicago for Cabrera, permitted three runs and seven hits with four walks and a strikeout over six innings.

"This wasn't my best outing but I battled and kept us in the game," Garland said. "Obviously, I wanted to win this game bad against my old team but came up short. ... I'll get more chances to face them."

Vazquez countered with 6 2/3 strong frames, yielding three runs - two earned - and nine hits with six strikeouts.