As Usual, White Does It All for Angels

Two runs scored, one rocket-like home run, a hard-hit single and a great running catch in the ninth inning.

Those were just a few of Devon White’s contributions to yet another Angel victory, this one a 3-1 decision over the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night at Anaheim Stadium.

This is getting to be routine for White, the Angels’ speedy center fielder. A couple of hits here, a couple of runs there and some sterling plays in the field.

Friday, he raised his average to .299, tops among Angel regulars. His homer was his fifth this season, putting him on pace for a 20-plus season. His 24 runs and 25 RBIs also lead the club.

About the only thing he didn’t do Friday was steal a base. He already leads the team with 17 and is third in the American League behind Cecil Espy of the Texas Rangers (19) and Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees (18).

“Devo did a great job again tonight,” Angel Manager Doug Rader said. “Even though we didn’t put a lot up there (on the scoreboard), I feel the offense is coming around.”

Until the sixth, Angel batters were frustrated at their inability to get to Milwaukee starter Bryan Clutterbuck.

They had just two hits. White had hit into a first-inning double play and grounded to short in the fourth before coming up in the sixth.

“I should have drove that ball,” White said of the double-play ball. “A lot of guys were coming back to the dugout saying that could have hit Clutterbuck.”

So, White said, he came to the plate in the sixth trying to drive the ball. Anywhere.

He drove it all right, over the 370-foot sign and a leaping Glenn Braggs in left field for a 1-0 lead.

“I wasn’t thinking home run in that situation. I just wanted to drive the ball,” White said.

Milwaukee tied the score in the seventh, but Angels went ahead for good in the bottom half of the inning.

After leading off the eighth with a sharply hit single to left, it was time for White to show off his speed.

Brian Downing, the next batter, hit a drive off shortstop Gary Sheffield and into short left field.

White rounded second--he was running on the pitch--and cruised into third easily.

He later scored on Lance Parrish’s sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead.

Braggs led off the ninth for Milwaukee and hit a bullet toward center field.

White was off at the crack of the bat, but it appeared the ball might make it over his head for an extra-base hit.

But White tracked it down on the warning track.

Later, someone would suggest to White that he and the Angels were efficient offensively, making the most of modest hitting production in recent games.

“That’s the way it’s been this year and hopefully it will continue,” White said. “Our pitching staff has been shutting everyone down and leaving it up to us to get a couple of runs.”