Angels can do the math after being eliminated in AL West

A crowd of 41,046 showed up to see the Angels play the Chicago White Sox on Friday night, and a Futures Game broke out.

Though the Angels weren’t eliminated from playoff contention, their lineup had a white-flag feel to it, with youngsters Mark Trumbo (first base) and Andrew Romine (shortstop) making their first big league starts, Hank Conger (catcher) making his fifth and Peter Bourjos making his first in the leadoff spot.

A few hours later, the inevitable became official. A 2-1 loss to the White Sox in Angel Stadium, and Texas’ 10-3 win at Oakland, mathematically eliminated the Angels, who fell 10 games behind the Rangers in the American League West with nine games to play.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed and frustrated with some of the things that have led to this point, but our goal is not going to change,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We need to come here every day with a purpose of winning, and that’s what we’re going to do.

“The season hasn’t gone as we hoped, but if we learn from it, the trials and tribulations of it will be worth it. If we don’t get better from it, it’s a wasted opportunity.”

There was plenty of wasted opportunity Friday night, the Angels managing only six hits, going two for 12 with runners in scoring position and providing minimal support for starter Joel Pineiro, who allowed one run and four hits in eight superb innings.

Fernando Rodney’s struggles since replacing Brian Fuentes as the team’s closer continued. Rodney walked Juan Pierre, gave up a single to Omar Vizquel and a game-winning single to Alex Rios in the ninth.

Rodney has allowed eight earned runs in 131/3 innings of 14 games since Aug. 29 and is six for nine in save opportunities in that span.

“He’s been a little hot and cold for the last month, but in between, he’s had some streaks where he’s thrown the ball well,” Scioscia said. “He’s obviously struggled with his command in recent outings. He’s not a machine. He’s not perfect.”

Rust-proof

Romine, called up from double-A Arkansas earlier in the day to provide depth for an injury plagued infield, hadn’t played in a game since Sept. 6, but it didn’t show, perhaps because he’s been working out at the team’s instructional league camp in Tempe, Ariz.

The first two times Romine touched the ball, he started double plays, ranging far into the hole to field Manny Ramirez’s second-inning grounder and throwing to second and snagging Brent Morel’s third-inning liner and flipping to third for a double play.

“His defense is ahead of his bat right now, but he’s a shortstop with great hands, a great feel for the game and an accurate arm,” Scioscia said. “He’s very smooth out there.”

Romine and fellow prospects Trumbo and Conger had a rough night at the plate, though, combining to go 0 for 10 with three strikeouts. Conger also threw two balls on stolen-base attempts into center field for errors.

Short hops

The Angels scored their only run in the fourth inning when Howie Kendrick led off with a triple to right and Torii Hunter hit an RBI single to center. . . . Erick Aybar returned from his trip to Dallas to see Dr. John Preskitt with some good news: The shortstop will not need surgery to repair a sports hernia in his left groin, an injury he suffered Aug. 15. Aybar began taking ground balls Friday, but Scioscia said he is still “most likely done for this season.” . . . Trevor Bell, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 7, has been shut down because of plantar fasciitis, an irritation and swelling of the tissue on the bottom of the foot.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com