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Ninth-Inning Double Does In the Angels, 6-5

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From Associated Press

Even though the Chicago White Sox are out of the American League West race, the thrill of winning in the final at-bat remains.

Robin Ventura’s two-run double with one out in the ninth inning Friday night lifted the White Sox to a 6-5 victory over the Angels, who have lost five in a row.

Ventura’s hit, off reliever Joe Grahe (5-6), sent home Frank Thomas and pinch-runner Shawn Jeter. Grahe gave up a one-out single to Thomas. George Bell followed with a single, advancing Thomas to second. Then came Ventura, and Chicago won for the ninth time in 11 games this season against the Angels.

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“We may be out of it, but the thrill of coming back and fighting for a worthwhile cause (second place) is still important to us,” Ventura said. “You want to win as many as you can. There are a lot of things riding in the remaining games, like batting marks, home runs, pitchers’ records, so each game is important, especially to me.”

Said Angel Manager Buck Rodgers: “It was an emotional roller coaster all right. But Grahe didn’t throw enough strikes. We had our closer in there. They had one of their best hitters up. This was a case where a good hitter beat a good pitcher. Usually, it’s the other way around, but not tonight.”

Grahe, who has 21 saves, failed for only the second time this season.

Roberto Hernandez (6-3), the third Chicago pitcher, pitched one inning for the victory.

John Orton hit a three-run homer in the second inning and Hubie Brooks added a two-run homer that broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh.

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The White Sox loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth, but Ron Karkovice forced Ventura at the plate on a grounder to shortstop, Dale Sveum lined out and Joey Cora struck out.

The Angels led, 3-0, in the second inning on Orton’s third major league homer.

But the White Sox tied the score in the sixth with a two-run double by Warren Newson and George Bell’s RBI single off starter Julio Valera.

After Brooks’ home run, Shawn Abner’s pinch-hit RBI single off Scott Lewis cut the Angels’ lead to 5-4 in the seventh.

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