Peter Bourjos hit a bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, game winning single Tuesday night to give the Angels a 5-4 opening game win over the Chicago White Sox. The win is the Angels fifth straight, matching a season high, plus it draws them to within 3.5 games of the division leading Texas Rangers who lost 11-5 to Boston.
Jordan Walden (4-3) pitched a perfect ninth for the win after Ervin Santana allowed 4 runs on 9 hits over eight innings, striking out 4 and walking one.
The Angels took an early lead when Peter Bourjos scored on a Juan Pierre error in the first inning. Howie Kendrick made it 2-0 with his eleventh home run of the season in the second inning. After Chicago tied the ballgame in the third, Torii Hunter singled to center to score Maicer Izturis to regain the lead.
The White Sox scored lone runs in the fifth and eighth to once again tie the game setting the stage for Bourjos’ single past a drawn in White Sox infield scoring ERick Aybar for the Halo win.