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Angels show no mercy in Chicago

The Los Angeles Angels, right and the Chicago White Sox line up prior to the start of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at US Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday. Starter Jose Contreras Pitched into the ninth inning for Chicago, but the White Sox's bats were mostly silent in the 3-2 loss. Los Angeles now leads the series 1-0. PHOTO: AFP

The Los Angeles Angels will have plenty of time to rest. Right now, they're too busy winning.

Paul Byrd pitched effectively in a pinch, Garret Anderson homered and the travel-weary Angels edged the Chicago White Sox 3-2 Tuesday night in the opener of the AL championship series.

The Angels were supposed to be more than a little jet-lagged. Sunday night, they were on the East Coast, playing the Yankees. Monday night, they were back on the West Coast, beating New York. Now, they're in the Midwest, with no off-day until Thursday.

Seeking their first World Series berth in 46 years and first championship since 1917, the White Sox got another outstanding outing from Jose Contreras but couldn't manage much offense.

The Cuban right-hander worked into the ninth inning but lost for the first time since Aug. 15, ending his nine-start winning streak.

Chicago had won eight games in a row going back to the regular season, but fell short against a Los Angeles team playing in its third time zone in three nights.

Recovering from a throat infection and fever, Jarrod Washburn is slated to pitch Game 2 for the Angels on Wednesday night against All-Star starter Mark Buehrle.

Scot Shields retired slugger Paul Konerko with two on to end the eighth. Francisco Rodriguez worked around third baseman Chone Figgins' error to begin the bottom of the ninth and struck out Joe Crede to close it out. The Angels won Game 1 for the first time in six postseason series under manager Mike Scioscia.

The Angels lost in New York on Sunday, forcing them to fly cross-country overnight for a decisive Game 5. They made a pit stop at home for a series-clinching victory Monday night, then jumped on a redeye to the Midwest and arrived at their hotel around 6:30am Tuesday.

But Los Angeles was plenty fresh for the ALCS opener, thanks to Byrd and his bullpen.

The 34-year-old right-hander walked only 28 batters all season and his throwback delivery, with arms rocking back behind him like a right-handed Whitey Ford, belongs in a flickering old cut of black-and-white film footage.

A 12-game winner during the regular season, Byrd got the Game 1 start because he was the only option left.

The first-round series took a toll on Los Angeles' pitching staff, and ace Bartolo Colon was left off the ALCS roster because of a shoulder injury.

Working on only three days' rest after a short outing in Game 3 against the Yankees, Byrd slipped on the mound while throwing a first-inning pitch to leadoff batter Scott Podsednik, then held Chicago in check for six-plus innings to earn his first postseason victory.

He departed after hitting Aaron Rowand with a pitch to begin the bottom of the seventh, but Shields got six outs to set up Rodriguez for his third save of the postseason.

The White Sox attempted all sorts of tricks -- No. 3 hitter Jermaine Dye tried to bunt leading off the sixth but popped up to Byrd. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski tried to steal second in the seventh, but was thrown out.

Fireworks boomed before the game and video boards just below the upper deck flashed: "This is White Sox playoff country."

One sign in the stands read: "8 in a row. 8 to go. 88 yrs in the making."

Playing before a revved-up crowd of 40,659, the well-rested White Sox had been waiting at home since Saturday after sweeping defending champion Boston in the first round.

With their pitching rotation lined up perfectly, they were supposed to have an edge early in this series, but the AL Central champs were the ones who looked weary in the early going.

Similar styles carried the Angels and White Sox this far: Both rely on solid starting pitching and a deep bullpen, and they like to manufacture runs with bunts and aggressive baserunning.

That doesn't mean they can't play long ball, though.

Anderson led off the second inning with his third homer of the postseason -- he had a team-best seven RBIs in the first round.

Then the Angels went to what they do best. Adam Kennedy's hit-and-run single was followed by Figgins' sacrifice bunt, putting runners at second and third in the third.

Orlando Cabrera's slow bouncer scored Steve Finley, and third baseman Crede hesitated before throwing to first, allowing Cabrera to reach on an infield single.

Vladimir Guerrero bounced back to the mound, and Contreras tried for a double play instead of going home to get Kennedy. Cabrera's high slide bothered second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who overthrew first base, and Los Angeles had a 3-0 lead on Guerrero's first RBI of the playoffs.

Crede homered in the bottom half, and Pierzynski concluded a feisty at-bat with a two-out RBI single in the fourth, cutting it to 3-2.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Jim Tracy was hired on Tuesday as the Pittsburgh Pirates' manager, AP learned from a source close to the team who requested anonymity.

Tracy, 49, was the front-runner from the start of the Pirates' search last week because of his long-standing ties to Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield, with whom he worked in the Montreal Expos' organization in the 1990s.

Tracy beat out the only two known candidates for the job, former Oakland Athletics manager Ken Macha and Atlanta Braves coach Fredi Gonzalez. Tracy replaces Lloyd McClendon, who was fired on Sept. 6 during his fifth consecutive losing season and was replaced for the rest of the season by bench coach Pete Mackanin, who was not considered for the job on a permanent basis.

Tracy managed the Dodgers from 2001 until the injury-riddled team finished 71-91 this season. The record was their second-worst since they moved from Brooklyn in 1958.

He finished with a 427-383 record, guided Los Angeles last year to its first division championship since 1995, and had only one losing season in five, but resigned last week after falling out with general manager Paul DePodesta.
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