• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Weaver dominant as Angels shut out White Sox

May 25, 2008 - 12:27 AM By Rory Spears PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim won a battle of first-place teams with the Chicago White Sox for the second straight day.

Jered Weaver pitched eight outstanding innings Saturday to lift the Angels to a 2-0 victory over the White Sox.

Vladimir Guerrero hit his seventh homer for Anaheim (30-21), which won for the fifth time in six games and has captured four straight series.

"We were lucky today," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We had a lot of opportunities on the offensive side, but couldn't break through to get breathing room. But our pitching did the job for us."

Weaver (4-5) yielded three hits and two walks while striking out six in running his record to 3-0 in four career starts against Chicago. The 6-7 righthander threw 72 of his 106 pitches for strikes.

"I struggled early in the season but have changed some things up and have gotten back on track," Weaver said. "The last three or four starts, I am pitching like I know I can pitch."

With a chance for Weaver to start the ninth and collect his first career shutout, Scioscia chose to go with closer Francisco Rodriguez, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his major league-leading 21st save.

"It was a rough week for Jered, who had a lot of (medical) tests done," Scioscia said. "We were happy to get him through the eighth inning. There was no need to go stretch him out."

A team spokesman for the Angels said that Weaver underwent tests after suffering heartburn-like symptoms earlier in the week.

With the game scoreless in the top of the sixth, Guerrero sent the first pitch from Chicago starter John Danks (3-4) into the seats in left-center for his 372nd career blast.

"I wasn't looking for a certain type of pitch in that situation," said Guerrero through an interpreter. "I don't know what he threw me, it was just in the strike zone and I was able to handle it."

After Torii Hunter followed Guerrero with a double to left, Danks was lifted for Octavio Dotel. However, Casey Kotchman, greeted him with a single to left, plating Hunter to up the lead to 2-0.

"After the home run we were able to get something started," Hunter said. "Danks was tough on us early, we had to be patient with him."

Danks was charged with both runs along with five hits and two walks in five-plus innings.

"It was a day I had to limit my mistakes," Danks said. "I did that until the sixth, but I left a pitch up to (Vlad) and he doesn't miss those."

Chicago's best scoring threat off Weaver came in the fifth inning. Nick Swisher led off with a single but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Brian Anderson then followed up with a double of his own but was stranded at second base.

"It was a day we couldn't get anything going," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Weaver has dominated us the last few years. We can't figure him out."

Chicago (26-22) has lost two in a row following a seven-game winning streak.