Angels 2, White Sox 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- C.J. Cron's one-out home run in the seventh inning snapped a 1-1 tie and lifted the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox Monday night at Angel Stadium.
Cron's homer came off White Sox starter Carlos Rodon, who was coming off seven scoreless innings against the Angels in his last start. But Cron's tie-breaking homer and the home run by designated hitter Albert Pujols in the second inning were just enough to push the Angels over the top.
The Angels could get by on the two runs and just four hits because of the performance of starter Andrew Heaney, who gave up one run and five hits in six innings. He did not get a decision in the game, as the win went to Fernando Salas (3-1).
The only run the White Sox scored against Heaney came when the Angels' defense failed to turn a routine double play, second baseman Johnny Giavotella throwing the ball away on a relay to first and allowing center fielder Adam Eaton to score.
The only other threat the White Sox mounted against Heaney came in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with two out. But Heaney escaped when he got catcher Tyler Flowers looking at a called third strike on a full-count pitch.
Salas (seventh inning), Joe Smith (eighth) and Huston Street (ninth, 28th save) shut out the White Sox for the final three innings to close it out, ending the Angels' three-game losing streak.
Rodon (5-5) threw an eight-inning complete game, giving up the two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five.
With Houston losing on Monday, the Angels cut their deficit in the American League West to 2 1/2 games, but they remained a half-game behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card spot.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Pujols homered off Rodon on a full-count pitch. It was Pujols' 32nd homer of the season, but just his third in his last 25 games.
The White Sox tied the game in the top of the third after putting runners on first and second with one out against Heaney.
It appeared Heaney would escape unscathed when left fielder Melky Cabrera hit a grounder to shortstop Erick Aybar. But instead of converting an inning-ending double play, as Giavotella's relay to first sailed high over the head of first baseman Cron for an error, allowing Eaton to score and tie the game at 1.
NOTES: Angels LHP C.J. Wilson will have surgery to remove bone spurs and chips from his left elbow on Thursday at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. 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. ... White Sox 1B Jose Abreu has six hitting streaks of at least 13 games since the beginning of the 2014 season. No other player in the majors has more than two such streaks during that time. ... Angels INF Ryan Jackson, called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, got his first start with the Angels, playing third base and batting ninth. He was hitting .295 for the Bees. ... White Sox OF Trayce Thompson got his fourth start since his call-up from Triple-A Charlotte on Aug. 3. Thompson, the son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson and brother of current NBA player Klay Thompson, went into the game hitting .500 (6 for 12) with one homer and one double.