Rodgers Says Win Was Fate

Was fate working against the Chicago White Sox in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Angels?

Angel Manager Buck Rodgers seems to think so. He certainly didn’t tell Luis Sojo to hit a trickler that led to Melido Perez’s throwing error in the eighth inning, which allowed Dave Winfield to score the winning run from first.

“That was an accident,” Rodgers said. “It was fate. They beat us late last night. We beat them late tonight.”

The White Sox, who took an early lead on Bo Jackson’s two-run homer, dropped seven games behind AL West-leading Minnesota Twins, who beat the Texas Rangers, 8-4.

“It’s a shame the game ends like that for us,” White Sox Manager Jeff Torborg said. “The throwing error is a part of the game and we couldn’t overcome it.”

Winfield singled with one out in the eighth against Brian Drahman (2-2). After Perez relieved and retired Gary Gaetti on a flyout, Perez fielded Sojo’s ball cleanly, but threw it down the right-field line.

“It was a tough play,” Perez said. “I was just trying to hurry and make the out.”

Kyle Abbott (1-2) pitched seven innings for his first major league victory. Bryan Harvey worked the ninth for his 41st save.

Jackson, who tied Friday night’s game with a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning, connected in the third inning for a 3-2 lead.

“As far as I’m concerned,” Jackson said, “the hit tonight was irrelevant because we didn’t win.”

The Angels tied it, 3-3, in the sixth when Luis Polonia singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Winfield.

The Angels scored twice in the second against Charlie Hough when Winfield walked, Dave Gallagher hit a run-scoring double and Sojo hit an RBI single. Ozzie Guillen singled home a run in Chicago’s half of the inning.

After the Angels went ahead in the eighth, Rodgers filed a protest with the umpires, saying that Torborg made two trips onto the field, which required a pitching change. He said that after Torborg made a visit to the mound, he came onto the field to talk to catcher Ron Karkovice, who then talked to Perez.