Angels Receive a Great Eight

After a rather pedestrian performance in his first start April 5, when he beat the New York Yankees because his teammates scored 12 runs, Angel pitcher Scott Schoeneweis said he “hoped to return the favor by holding an opponent down on a day we don’t score a lot of runs.”

Consider Schoeneweis and the Angels even.

While the Angel offense could only parlay 13 hits into three runs Sunday, Schoeneweis (3-0) limited the Chicago White Sox to one run over eight superb innings to lead the Angels to a 3-1 victory before 10,929 in Comiskey Park.

In what was almost a carbon copy of his three-hit shutout of Toronto on Monday night, Schoeneweis, effectively mixing and locating his sinking fastballs, changeups and sliders, gave up three hits, struck out two and walked two, stifling a Chicago offense that leads the league in batting and runs.

After giving up a run in the third, Schoeneweis allowed only one other runner to reach second base and retired the last seven batters he faced before giving way to closer Troy Percival, who retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

Schoeneweis, a 26-year-old left-hander, is one of the primary reasons a rotation that includes Ken Hill, Kent Bottenfield, Jason Dickson and Ramon Ortiz has combined for a 7-3 record and 3.01 earned-run average (25 runs in 74 2/3 innings) in the first 12 games.

“Everyone doubted us and said we were going to be bad,” Schoeneweis said. “We feel we have something to prove, and that can give you an edge. We think we’re good. The coaching staff thinks we’re good. No matter what we do, some will think we could have better pitchers here, but we don’t really care. We’re confident in whoever’s out there.”

During spring training, Manager Mike Scioscia playfully challenged some writers who took shots at the rotation. He seemed to be overly optimistic while the starters gave up runs in bunches in Cactus League play.

But he hasn’t taken an I-told-you-so tack with the press.

“It’s too long a season for that,” Scioscia said. “ . . . We expected some guys to step up, and it’s been a pleasant surprise to see the level some have stepped up to. I’m very pleased and optimistic, but this season is a marathon, and we’re only on the third time through the rotation.”

Schoeneweis, meanwhile, can look at the major league leaders for victories and find his name up there with the likes of Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson. Not bad for a guy who made his first big league start 12 days ago.

“I’m trying to keep things in perspective, go start to start,” he said. “The more innings I’m out there, the more confident I get. But after talking to you guys [reporters], this game is over, and I’m thinking about [my next start against] Tampa Bay.”

The only blemish on Schoeneweis’ start Sunday was the run he gave up in the third inning, when Josh Paul reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on Ray Durham’s two-out double into the right-field corner.

Durham tried to advance when Tim Salmon’s throw skipped by cut-off man Adam Kennedy, but first baseman Mo Vaughn backed up and made a nice throw to third to nail Durham for the final out.

The Angels countered with two runs in the top of the fourth. After Troy Glaus walked, Scott Spiezio hit an RBI double to right-center. Edgard Clemente, who replaced Garret Anderson (sore ankle) in the outfield, reached on an infield single, with Spiezio taking third. Spiezio scored on Bengie Molina’s sacrifice fly.

The Angels added an insurance run in the sixth when Glaus doubled to left, took third on Spiezio’s hard grounder that took a bad hop past third baseman Paul Konerko for a single and scored on Clemente’s RBI grounder to first.

Darin Erstad, who moved from left field to center to replace Garret Anderson, who has a sore left ankle, made a spectacular diving catch of a drive to the left-center field gap by Paul Konerko to open the seventh. “You’re not going to find a better catch anywhere,” Scioscia said. “That was some play.”