CHICAGO -Timo Perez, a replacement for the injured Frank Thomas, singled in two runs in the ninth inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Thomas made his first appearance since breaking a bone in his left ankle last July 6, but was forced to leave because of a strained hip flexor. Perez batted for him in the seventh, then helped the White Sox snap a three-game losing streak with his hit down the left-field line off Scot Shields (4-2).
Pinch-hitter Willie Harris walked to lead off the ninth and stole second, and Joe Crede also walked. Both runners moved up on Scott Podsednik's sacrifice and Shields struck out pinch-hitter Carl Everett before Perez's single.
The White Sox led 3-2 heading into the ninth behind Mark Buehrle before Los Angeles scored twice.
Buehrle left with one out after he giving up singles to Bengie and Jose Molina and was replaced by Damaso Marte. Marte got Dallas McPherson to ground toward second, but second baseman Tadahito Iguchi mishandled the ball for an error to load the bases.
Robb Quinlan followed with a single to tie it and Marte walked Chone Figgins to give the Angels a 4-3 lead. Marte struck out Steve Finley before Cliff Politte (1-0) got Orlando Cabrera to fly out.
Buehrle, who hasn't lost since April 10 at Minnesota, allowed four runs and nine hits in 8 1-3 innings.
Thomas went 0-for-2 batting third as the designated hitter. He received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 38,685 in his first plate appearance in the first, but popped out to first baseman Quinlan.
The White Sox loaded the bases with none out in the second, but took only a 1-0 lead on Juan Uribe's sacrifice fly to left.
The White Sox loaded the bases again with none out in the third after Podsednik's single and walks to Iguchi and Thomas.
The next hitter, Paul Konerko, grounded into a double play, but Aaron Rowand drove in Iguchi and Thomas with a double down the left-field line for a 3-0 lead.
Finley homered to lead off the fourth to cut it to 3-1.
Chris Widger, Uribe and Podsednik singled in the bottom of the inning, but the White Sox failed to score when Widger was thrown out at the plate by Finley with two outs.
The Angels cut it to 3-2 in the sixth when Finley doubled and scored on Cabrera's single
Angels starter Jarrod Washburn allowed three runs on eight hits and four walks in six innings.
Notes: The White Sox announced during the game they had extended the contract of second-year manager Ozzie Guillen. Under the agreement, the White Sox will pick up the 2006 option on Guillen's original contract, add two years, plus an option for 2009. Financial terms were not disclosed.... Thomas, who underwent offseason surgery Oct. 6 to repair a partial stress fracture in the ankle, hit just.190 in 11 games during a minor league rehabilitation assignment at Charlotte.... The White Sox opened a roster spot for Thomas by optioning right-hander Brandon McCarthy to Triple-A Charlotte.... The White sox honored former SS Chico Carrasquel with a pregame ceremony. Carrasquel, 77, who played for the Sox from 1950-55, died at his home in Venezuela last Thursday. He was the first Latin American All-Star in major league history.
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