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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) – Jose Valentin was determined to shake a 2-for-21
slump, so he came early for an extra session of batting practice. It paid off Wednesday night.
|  | | Benji Gil is forced at second by Ray Durham in the fifth inning. |
Valentin doubled home the winning run with one out in the bottom
of the ninth as the Chicago White Sox beat the
Anaheim Angels 6-5 for their season-best fourth straight win.
"The way I was swinging the last couple of weeks was not my
best and then tonight I made up for it," Valentin said.
"Now that we got four in a row for the first time, we've got to
go forward and not look back."
Sandy Alomar Jr. singled to start the bottom of the ninth.
Pinch-runner Josh Paul moved up when Ray Durham sacrificed against
Al Levine (1-2).
Valentin, 0-for-8 in his previous two games, then doubled over
Tim Salmon's head in right for his fourth hit of the night.
"I just wanted to be selective. The way I'd been swinging, I
didn't feel too comfortable," Valentin said. "Fortunately the
ball was right down the middle."
Bob Howry (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory.
Troy Glaus homered twice for the Angels, who took a 5-2 lead
with three in the seventh.
Chicago tied it in the bottom of the same inning on Magglio
Ordonez's three-run double.
Ismael Valdes, who beat the White Sox six days ago in Anaheim,
allowed seven hits in 6 1-3 innings and left with the 5-2 lead.
After a single by Chris Singleton, Mike Holtz relieved and
walked Durham before slipping down trying to field Valentin's bunt
single, loading the bases.
Ordonez drove Shigetoshi Hasegawa's first pitch over Salmon's
head and Valentin was waved home by third base coach Wallace
Johnson, just beating second baseman Adam Kennedy's relay to the
plate to tie the game.
"I was at second base and I never stopped. I knew it would be
close. I got a clean shot at the plate and the throw was a little
bit up the line," Valentin said.
"I just made one mistake and Ordonez hit it hard," Hasegawa
said. "With the bases loaded, I wanted to throw a first-pitch
strike. That's how I pitch."
Glaus hit solo homers in the second and seventh off Mark
Buehrle, giving him nine for the season. The reigning AL home run
champion had homered just once in his previous 20 games.
Glaus' second homer put the Angels up 3-2. Benji Gil and Kennedy
followed with singles before David Eckstein hit a two-run single
off reliever Gary Glover to make it 5-2.
The Angels tied it at 2 in the sixth as Jose Molina drew a
leadoff walked and raced to third after Buehrle fielded Eckstein's
bunt and threw the ball past first for an error. Darin Erstad then
followed with a sacrifice fly.
Durham's two-run homer put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the third.
Game notes
Frank Thomas rejoined the White Sox on Wednesday, one day
after his father's funeral in Columbus, Ga. Thomas, sidelined since
April 27 with a sore triceps, did not play. Manuel said Thomas
tried to take batting practice but struggled with his injury and a
decision will be made soon on whether to place him on the disabled
list. ... Glaus has two multihomer games this season and 10 for his
career. His second-inning homer snapped the Angels' 21-inning
scoreless streak ... The Angels have allowed just 23 homers this
season. ... Durham, who has three for the season, has two in as
many nights. ... Gil had four hits to match a career high.
Valentin's four hits also matched a career high and was the sixth
time he'd accomplished it.
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RECAPS
Seattle 10
Boston 5
Cleveland 5
Kansas City 1
Detroit 3
Texas 2
NY Yankees 2
Minnesota 0
Oakland 8
Toronto 5
Baltimore 8
Tampa Bay 6
Chi. White Sox 6
Anaheim 5
Houston 7
Philadelphia 6
Chicago Cubs 6
Milwaukee 3
St. Louis 6
Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 6
NY Mets 0
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 2
Atlanta 3
San Diego 0
Los Angeles 3
Florida 2
Montreal 8
San Francisco 0
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