Angels 1, White Sox 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Catcher Carlos Perez hit a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night in front of 35,036 at Angel Stadium.
Right-hander Jered Weaver (5-9) pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings to earn his first victory since May 30. Weaver scattered five hits, permitted no walks, collected five strikeouts induced seven groundouts and retired 18 of the final 21 batters he faced. Right-handed relievers Trevor Gott and Joe Smith contributed to the shutout, with Smith getting his second save.
The Angels used their third successive victory to remain 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West and half a game in front of the Baltimore Orioles in the race for the second wild-card berth.
Perez put the Angels ahead when he propelled a 95 mph fastball from right-hander Jeff Samardzija over the glove of left fielder Melky Cabrera and into Chicago's bullpen in left field. The home run was Perez's third of the season and his first since May 30.
Samardzija (8-9) suffered his fourth consecutive loss. Despite amassing seven strikeouts in his seven innings and conceding just two walks, Samardzija allowed one run on eight hits while throwing 116 pitches, as the White Sox lost for the fourth time in five games.
Chicago placed the potential tying run in scoring position in the top of the ninth against right-handed reliever Joe Smith. Cabrera began the inning by lining a single to right field, then took second base on designated hitter Avisail Garcia's groundout before being replaced by pinch runner Trayce Thompson. Then right fielder J.B. Shuck walked, bringing pinch-hitter Adam La Roche to the plate.
La Roche hit a ground ball to Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, who threw to shortstop Erick Aybar to retire Shuck at second base. First-base umpire Mike Estabrook ruled La Roche safe on Aybar's return throw to Smith at first base. But manager Mike Scioscia appealed Estabrook's call, which video replay overturned to end the game.
NOTES: Los Angeles 1B Albert Pujols, who hit three home runs in his previous four games, was not in the starting lineup, as manager Mike Scioscia gave him a rest. Before the recent power surge, Pujols hit no homers in 14 games and only one in 22. ... The Angels will recall RHP Nick Tropeano from Triple-A Salt Lake to start Thursday against the White Sox. In two starts for Los Angeles earlier this season, one in April and one in July, Tropeano went 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA. ... White Sox LHP Chris Sale, who has 208 strikeouts, is on pace for a club-record 288. Hall of Famer Ed Walsh set the mark with 269 in 1908. ... Through Tuesday, the White Sox and Angels shared second place in the American League with 68 quality starts, and each team added to its total Wednesday.