Stevens’ Homer Makes Langston Winner : Angels: Three-run shot off Thigpen in ninth inning beats White Sox, 3-2, to end four-game losing streak.

The crowd roared loud enough to crumble Comiskey Park’s foundations a few months before its scheduled demolition, anticipating that White Sox reliever Bobby Thigpen would throw one more strike to Angel first baseman Lee Stevens and add to his major league-leading 43 saves.

Stevens, hitting with two out and two on, the Angels trailing by two runs and a five-for-56 slump on his shoulders, drank in the din created by 37,079 who had already counted the game Chicago would gain in the AL West by defeating the Angels.

“It made me mad because they wanted me to make the last out and I’m not going to do it,” he said. “I’m more stubborn than that.”

He’s also strong enough to slam a changeup 20 feet over the center-field fence in one of the deepest center fields in the league, giving the Angels an unlikely 3-2 victory over the White Sox Saturday and keeping Chicago five games behind the Oakland Athletics.

“Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about anything. That’s why I hit it,” said Stevens, who is still nursing a sore neck from being hit by Max Venable’s line drive during batting practice Friday.

“I was just happy to get a good swing on it. This park has a lot of room out in center field and it’s fairly dead. After I hit it, I thought it had a chance. . . . This is my first (clutch home run) in the big leagues, so it’s a little extra special.”

The home run made the night special for Mark Langston (8-15), because it stretched his winning streak to a season-high three games. Although both runs he allowed came with two outs--53 of the 99 he has given up this season have been scored with two out--he gained his first victory over the White Sox as an Angel. Langston struck out 10 in a 2-1 loss at Chicago June 20 and pitched well in a 2-0 loss June 25 at Anaheim Stadium.

“It’s a very big win. Very big. I hope it gives us some life and gets us on a roll,” said Langston, who struck out five and allowed run-scoring singles in the third inning to Robin Ventura and in the seventh to Scott Fletcher.

“For me, it was a huge win. After he hit it, boy, was I hoping it had a chance to go out. Believe me, I was hoping.”

The Angels entered the game with a four-game losing streak they had little reason to hope to end against starter Jack McDowell, who held them to three singles despite battling a stiff neck in the late innings. McDowell rejected Manager Jeff Torborg’s first suggestion that he leave the game, but had no choice but to yield to Thigpen (4-6) after walking leadoff hitter Dick Schofield in the ninth.

“I had to beg him to leave me in in the eighth,” McDowell said. “I wasn’t tired. . . . Any game you lose from here on in is a big loss. This was a big loss.”

Thigpen had blown only six of 49 previous save opportunities, and, although he gave up a single to Chili Davis, he struck out Brian Downing and had a 1-and-2 count on Stevens.

“I brought in the best reliever in baseball,” White Sox Manager Jeff Torborg said, simply enough. Stevens had been studying Thigpen, who had saved the first two games of the series. “I was watching him as much as I could,” said Stevens, who hadn’t hit a home run since his fifth, Aug. 8 against Boston. “I was just trying to get locked in on him. I was really looking for a slider because he gave me one the other night (on which) I didn’t pull the trigger.”

Thigpen went with his changeup, and Stevens blasted it into the bullpen.

“This is bigger than my first hit,” said Stevens, who was promoted from triple-A Edmonton on July 16 after Wally Joyner fractured his right kneecap. “That’s probably the biggest pressure situation I’ve been in.”

The pressure is still on the White Sox to catch the A’s, and they remained confident, if a bit shaken.

“You don’t have to worry about the White Sox. If we play good every day and don’t panic, we will be in there fighting every day,” shortstop Ozzie Guillen said. “Thigpen has done a lot of good things for us, and I hope he can get another opportunity to save another game for us tomorrow. I know he’s got the stuff to save another 10 more before the season is over.

“There’s nothing we can do about this game. We’ve got enough broken hearts already. We just have to forget about it and win tomorrow.”

Angel Notes

Second baseman Johnny Ray, who started Saturday for the first time in five games, said he wants to be traded if his playing time doesn’t increase. Ray, who is hitting .271 but has limited fielding range, spoke with General Manager Mike Port before Friday’s game and told Port of his wishes. “I don’t want to stay if it’s going to be like this,” Ray said. “I want to play. That’s the bottom line.”

Asked whether Port is willing to grant his wish, Ray shrugged. “He told me yes and no,” Ray said. “I don’t know what my situation is. I haven’t talked to (Manager Doug Rader) in a while.” Port said Friday his conversation with Ray was nothing more serious than “just visiting.”

Donnie Hill was a late scratch because of a sprained left wrist, which he incurred Friday when he fell over Dave Winfield while pursuing Carlos Martinez’s third-inning pop-up. Hill was to play third base but was replaced by Pete Coachman. X-rays of Hill’s wrist were negative and he will be re-evaulated today.

Nolan Ryan will pitch against the Angels Tuesday at Anaheim Stadium. The Rangers considered postponing Ryan’s first start at Anaheim Stadium this season but are staying with their original rotation.

The Angels are 4-5 on this trip entering today’s finale. They have had only two winning trips this season. . . . Bryan Harvey allowed one hit in the ninth to earn his 17th save. In 24 appearances since May 28, he’s 1-1 with 14 saves and an earned-run average of 0.95 and 42 strikeouts.