For the ninth time this season, it took extra innings to decide the outcome for the Angels. On Wednesday night the Halos lost the game in the 10th inning by the score of 6-4. Chicago tied the game with two runs in the ninth when Angels closer Jordan Walden started the inning by walking Adam Dunn to lead off the inning. Two hitters later, AJ Pierzynski drove him in with a single up the middle. Alex Rios was intentionally walked after a wild pitch put runners on second and third. Omar Vizquel tied the game with a deep fly to center to score pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge.
Kevin Jepsen relieved Walden to start the tenth. Jepsen (0-2, 9.00 ERA) was recalled today from Salt Lake City, taking the place of Fernando Rodriguez in the Angels bullpen. With one out, Jepson gave up a single to Alexi Ramirez and then a double to Dunn. The go-ahead run scored when Jepsen, trying to intentionally walk Paul Konerko, threw the pitch to the backstop, scoring Ramirez.
Sergio Santos pitched two innings for the win. Santos (2-0, 0.00 ERA) hasn't allowed a run this season, including spring training.
Early in the game, Angels starter Tyler Chatwood showed sometimes you don't need your best stuff to keep your team in the game. In Wednesday night's series finale against the White Sox, Chatwood went 6.1 innings, giving up 8 hits, a hit batsman, plus 3 walks, yet allowed just one run as the Angels won 4-3. The one run Chatwood allowed was a monster home run by Adam Dunn to deep right field in the third inning. Fortunately the home run was solo shot, as it was one of the few times the Sox didn't have a runner on base. Chicago stranded 9 runners in the first 5 innings and 15 overall.
Jake Peavy, making his season debut after spending 10 months recovering from a detached muscle in his shoulder, was roughed up by the Angel hitters. Peavy lasted 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on seven hits, striking out 4 and walking none.
Torii Hunter and Erick Aybar did most of the damage for the Angels. Hunter drove in Maicer Izturis in the first inning with a triple to left field, and Aybar with a single in the third. Hunter's triple was only his second in 3 seasons.
Erick Aybar extended his hit-streak to ten games by going 2 for 4. He also had a run, a RBI and a stolen base in the game.