Angels Beat White Sox 2-1

Saturday, September 15th 2007, 9:31 pm

By: News On 6

CHICAGO (AP) _ Jered Weaver allowed four hits in six innings to get his 12th victory and the Los Angeles Angels kept Jim Thome stuck at 499 homers Saturday night while beating the Chicago White Sox 2-1.

Weaver (12-7) allowed one run, walked one and struck out eight to surpass the win total of his rookie season a year ago, as he outpitched Chicago starter Jon Garland and dropped the Angels' magic number for winning the AL West to eight games.

Thome finished 0-for-3. He walked in the first, struck out in the third and popped out in the sixth against Weaver, each time with flash bulbs popping all over U.S. Cellular Field. Facing Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth, he took a called third strike. Since hitting No. 499 on Wednesday, he's now gone 10 plate appearances without a homer.

Chicago third baseman Andy Gonzalez's two-base throwing error on Howie Kendrick's grounder and Reggie Willits' RBI single put the Angels up 2-1 in the fourth, and their pitching made it stick. Darren Oliver, Scot Shields and Rodriguez completed the victory, allowing two hits combined.

Rodriguez struck out A.J. Pierzynski with a runner on second for his 35th save in 41 chances.

Garland (9-12) allowed nine hits and two runs _ one earned _ in seven innings and is 1-5 in his last nine starts. He gave up seven hits in the first three innings but only one run, thanks to some good defense.

After Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera singled to start the game, Garland started a 1-4-3 double play and second baseman Danny Richar threw Garret Anderson out from short right on a grounder. With two on in the second, Chicago left fielder Scott Podsednik threw Casey Kotchman out at the plate as he tried to score from second on Willits' single.

Figgins, Cabrera and Vladimir Guerrero singled in succession in the third to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. But after Garland fanned the next two batters, Jermaine Dye made a diving catch of Maicer Izturis' sinking liner to end the inning.

Chicago tied it on a double by Richar and an RBI single by Jerry Owens in the third.

Notes: Angels OF Gary Matthews Jr. missed his fourth straight game with a sprained right ankle. ... Thome has 21 career homers against the Angels. He will face Angels lefty Joe Saunders on Sunday. ... The crowed on a 61-degree night was announced at 36,485. ... Owens reached on a disputed bunt single with one out in the eighth when first base umpire Mike Reilly ruled that first baseman Kotchman missed the tag, although a TV replay appeared to show his glove hit Owens on the backside. Angels manager Mike Scioscia argued to no avail, but seconds later Los Angeles catcher Jeff Mathis fired to first to pick off Owens.