The Positive Approach Starts to Wear Thin

It’s clear now the Angels just don’t have anything for the White Sox.

The Angels made some shake-em-up moves, they learned their lessons from mistakes past and it still didn’t help.

Mike Scioscia actually got some results from his lineup reconfiguration and an Angel catcher finally tagged out A.J. Pierzynski on a third strike and still they wound up heading in the wrong direction, losing to the Chicago White Sox, 8-2, Saturday in their worst defeat of the playoffs.

The telltale sign things aren’t going the Angels’ way: We’ve seen more pumped fists from Doug Eddings than Francisco Rodriguez, who hasn’t made an appearance since Game 1.

Another indication of an American League championship series gone wrong: White Sox leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik reached base four times Saturday; Angels leadoff hitter Chone Figgins has been on base twice in the series.

Down, 3-1, in the best-of-seven series, the Angels’ season could be over as early as today.

Not only is time running out, Scioscia’s running out of moves.

He changed lineup spots two through seven and replaced designated hitter Juan Rivera with Casey Kotchman. It did pay off, a little, when Kotchman had a double that scored Garret Anderson and a single that advanced Darin Erstad, who scored on a hit by Bengie Molina.

The only step remaining would be too drastic: bench Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero, the Angels’ catalyst and most valuable player in the regular season who have combined to hit two for 30 in the series.

All that’s left is an attitude adjustment for a team that can’t afford to think positive anymore.

“It’s time to get angry,” second baseman Adam Kennedy said. “Positive is out the window right now.”

While the Angels need a complete makeover, the White Sox have their routine down. Get a complete game from the pitcher. Get some runners on and let Paul Konerko bring them in with a home run in the first inning, then let everyone else run themselves into scoring position. Get by with a little help from the umps.

Pierzynski, who was allowed to reach first in Game 2 after Eddings ruled Angel catcher Josh Paul didn’t catch strike three (even though Eddings balled his fist in an out motion), was involved in another controversial play behind the plate. In the bottom of the second, with Bengie Molina on first base and Kotchman on third, Pierzynski’s glove nicked Finley’s bat on a swing. Finley was pointing back toward home plate as he ran to first -- which proved costly because he was out by a step to complete the double play.

“I’ve never had catcher’s interference,” said Finley, a 17-year veteran. “I felt something grab the end of my bat. I probably should have taken off and ran. I would’ve beaten the play at first. But I’ve never had that happen, and my reaction was to turn and look at the ump.”

In the fifth inning, on a pickoff attempt by Scot Shields, Darin Erstad appeared to tag Podsednik before Podsednik made it back to first base. Podsednik was called safe by umpire Ed Rapuano.

Again, the umpires are a sidebar, a footnote, not the main story.

“There’s always going to be calls that are going to go your way or against you,” Scioscia said. “That’s baseball. I don’t think the umpiring in this game is why we’re behind, 3-1.”

And good old Doug Eddings, who couldn’t be less popular in Orange County if he blockaded the access road to Laguna Beach, almost got in the way of Garret Anderson’s attempt to catch a fly ball in left field. At least Molina made up for Josh Paul’s mistake and tagged out Pierzynski on a swinging strike that definitely bounced in the dirt.

The one time a call didn’t go Chicago’s way, White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen trotted out of the dugout to dispute a forceout that was ruled safe in a double-play attempt. Maybe he just wanted to check in to say, “Thanks, guys.” Or maybe he just wanted some activity. When your starting pitchers are logging inning after inning, what else is there for an American League manager to do?

Freddy Garcia’s six-hit performance marked the third consecutive complete game for the White Sox. Meanwhile, the Angels haven’t had a starter give them six innings since Paul Byrd in the series opener.

Saturday it was Ervin Santana, the hero of Game 5 against the Yankees who, almost predictably, had a bad outing in his next start. He’s been up and down like that for most of the season, although the good outweighed the bad.

“It’s youth,” pitching coach Bud Black said. “He’s 22. Pitching on this stage, a lot of times your emotions are a little higher. They might have got him in the first inning. He overthrew some pitches.”

Chicago’s pitchers have overwhelmed the Angels, who have scored five runs in the last 33 innings.

“They’re not making mistakes,” Anderson said.

The Angels could make them make mistakes by working the counts more; Garcia needed only six pitches in the first inning.

Now the Angels are down to one game and two options.

“Either bounce back or go home,” Kennedy said. “I have a feeling the guys in this room, we’ll bounce back.”

The way things are going they probably will bounce back ... to the pitcher.

J.A. Adande can be reached at j.a.adande@latimes.com. To read more columns by Adande, go to latimes.com/adande.