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Angels rally past White Sox, 6-5

Josh Hamilton's leadoff single in the fifth was the first hit Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale allowed to a left-handed hitter in 34 at-bats this season.
Josh Hamilton’s leadoff single in the fifth was the first hit Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale allowed to a left-handed hitter in 34 at-bats this season.
(Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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KEY MOMENT: With the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth inning and White Sox starter Chris Sale appearing to tire, Chicago Manager Robin Ventura kept the left-hander in the game to face Mike Trout, who drove Sale’s 115th pitch of the game over the wall in center field for a grand slam to tie the score, 5-5.

AT THE PLATE: Josh Hamilton’s leadoff single in the fifth was the first hit Sale allowed to a left-handed hitter in 34 at-bats this season. With two outs in the eighth, Hamilton sparked a rally off reliever Jake Petricka with a single to left. C.J. Cron singled to right, moving Hamilton to third, and Erick Aybar singled to right to score Hamilton with the winning run. Alejandro De Aza doubled twice and drove in a run for the White Sox, and Adam Dunn led off the sixth with a homer to center, his 11th of the season and 451st of his career.

ON THE MOUND: Angels starter Matt Shoemaker blanked the White Sox on one hit through two innings but gave up four runs — three of them earned — on eight hits over the next three-plus innings. Right-hander Cory Rasmus, called up from triple-A Salt Lake Saturday, threw two hitless innings of relief to hold a 5-0 deficit, and closer Ernesto Frieri struck out two of three in the ninth for his ninth save.

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DRAFT UPDATE: The Angels concluded the draft on Saturday, selecting 22 pitchers (16 right-handers, six left-handers) and 18 position players (eight infielders, six outfielders, four catchers). They drafted 37 college players, including four from junior college, and only three high school players. Among their picks Saturday were UC Santa Barbara left-hander Greg Mahle (15th round), Azusa Pacific left-hander Adam McCreery (22) and UC Riverside right-hander Zach Varela (23)

RETURN ENGAGEMENT: The Angels moved quickly to replace the pitching depth they lost when Wade LeBlanc was claimed by the Yankees last weekend, signing 35-year-old right-hander Joel Pineiro to a minor league deal. Pineiro, who went 17-14 with a 4.47 ERA for the Angels in 2010-11, was released by the Chicago Cubs’ double-A team this season. He started for triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday.

REHAB REPORT: Top relief prospect R.J. Alvarez, shut down on May 21 because of a tender elbow, returned to double-A Arkansas to resume his rehabilitation. The hard-throwing right-hander has struck out 28 in 19 scoreless innings this season.

UP NEXT: Left-hander C.J. Wilson (6-5, 3.52 ERA) will oppose Chicago left-hander Jose Quintana (3-5, 3.31 at Angel Stadium at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

Mike DiGiovanna

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