Angels’ Choice Is Lost Cause

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia drew rave reviews in his last visit here, deploying pinch-hitter Hank Blalock at just the right moment in the All-Star game. Blalock homered, the American League won, and Scioscia had delivered home-field advantage to his league in this year’s World Series.

After making the right call at U.S. Cellular Field last month, Scioscia made no call Monday. He left the critical strategic decision, whether to pitch to Frank Thomas with the winning run on base in the ninth inning and an open base available, up to his pitcher.

Jarrod Washburn opted to challenge Thomas rather than walk him. Thomas hit his second home run of the game, and Washburn and the Angels walked off the field as 4-2 losers to the Chicago White Sox.

“Looking back, I made the wrong decision,” Washburn said.

What could have been a delightful night for the Angels collapsed into renewed disappointment, amid the specter of yet another devastating injury. The depleted Angels are just two games out of last place in the AL West, and Washburn said his back and left hip bothered him so much his body required realignment between innings.

Washburn lost his no-hitter in the seventh inning, on a leadoff single by Roberto Alomar. He lost his shutout on a two-run homer by Thomas in the seventh and lost the game on a two-run homer by Thomas in the ninth. He pitched a four-hit complete game. Of his four career complete games, three are losses.

Washburn lost four consecutive starts in June because of a sore hip. He said the discomfort that flared Monday -- back spasms and a left hip that popped out so that it was higher than the right one -- was unrelated.

“It’s something I’ve had in the past,” he said. “But it surprised me that it just popped up out of nowhere.”

He said he planned to make his next start. He pitched effectively with the condition Monday, making only 82 pitches through eight innings and relying on a surprisingly solid changeup. With Brendan Donnelly unavailable because of injury and Francisco Rodriguez unavailable because of his recent heavy workload, Scioscia let Washburn start the ninth, with the score tied, 2-2.

His first three pitches were balls, and Scioscia ordered Ben Weber to warm up. Washburn came back with two strikes, then gave up a double to Tony Graffanino. Alomar sacrificed Graffanino to third base, and Scioscia deployed his trademark five-man infield.

Scioscia visited the mound and, according to Washburn, offered two choices: Pitch to Thomas, or walk Thomas and then Magglio Ordonez, loading the bases for Carlos Lee.

Thomas leads the White Sox with 30 home runs, ranking fourth in the league. Weber specializes in the ground ball and could have pitched to Lee, who has grounded into 18 double plays, ranking third in the league.

Scioscia said he did not order two intentional walks and summon Weber in part because there is no margin for error with the bases loaded. Weber averages two walks per nine innings.

But, with a five-man infield 10 days ago in Cleveland, Scioscia ordered Weber to issue back-to-back intentional walks, loading the bases with one out. Ryan Ludwick then singled home the winning run.

“You pick your poison,” Scioscia said.

Washburn threw eight pitches to Thomas. The last ended up over the left-field fence and ended the game.

“I’m still surprised he hit it out of the park,” Washburn said. “I thought, after all those fastballs, he’d be out in front of a changeup.”

Washburn long has lobbied Scioscia for decision-making power, with no luck. In his previous start, however, the manager let the pitcher determine whether to stay in the game.

“That’s two games in a row he’s given me a choice,” Washburn said. “I don’t know if I’ll get another one.”