ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jay Loviglio says he didn't have the foggiest, but kept running anyway.
'I didn't know what was going on,' Loviglio said Wednesday night after scoring the tie-breaking run from second base on an infield hit as the Chicago White Sox downed the California Angels 5-3.
'I just kept running. I thought the ball was going through and I got a good jump from second base.'
'I was going to score,' he said emphatically.
California's fourth loss in its last five games, coupled with Kansas City's victory at Seattle, dropped the Angels two games behind the first-place Royals. With their eighth triumph in the last 10 games, the streaking White Sox remain 4 1-2 games behind in the American League West.
Rich Dotson, whose record was once 3-11, evened his record at 11-11 by scattering seven hits and striking out seven in 7 2-3 innings. Salome Barojas picked up his 17th save and his second in as many nights against the Angels.
Greg Luzinski opened up the eighth when he doubled off John Curtis, 0-1, with one out. Loviglio ran for Luzinski and had to hold at second while Steve Kemp was grounding out. Then Carlton Fisk was intentionally walked to bring up the left-handed Mike Squries.
The White Sox first baseman grounded the ball down the first base line and Rod Carew bobbled it. Curtis was late in covering and Squires beat out the infield safety for his third hit of the game. Meanwhile, Loviglio didn't break stride and easily beat Curtis' throw to the plate. Vance Law followed with a single to center to bring in Fisk for the final run.
The White Sox had tied the score at 3-3 in the seventh when pinch hitter Ron Kittle singled home Squires from second with two outs. Squires had opened the inning with a single and was sacrificed to second by Vance Law. After pinch hitter Jerry Hairston flew out, Curtis came in and the right-handed Kittle batted for Rudy Law. The White Sox rookie laced a single for his second major league RBI after driving in 144 runs with 50 homers at Edmonton this season.
California got all their runs off Dotson in the fifth. Bobby Grich opened with his 17th homer of the year. Juan Beniquez beat out an infield roller. With two out, Brian Downing drilled his 26th homer of the year off the left field foul to give him 76 RBI, a new career high.
The White Sox scored twice in the third. Squires and Vance Law led off with singles and Rudy Law drove in the first run on a fielder's choice. Tony Bernazard followed with a double to score Rudy Law from first.
