One reader called it "epic." I don't know about that, but it was a two-and-a-half hour marathon chat session

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Chicago White Sox walked six more batters Sunday, two of which forced in runs, and the offense found few holes in the defense of the Los Angeles Angels, who earned a split with the 6-2 victory at Angel Stadium.

How it happened: The strike zone seemed to be a moving target for White Sox pitchers as the series unfolded. After they issued 10 walks in Saturday’s 12-9 loss, Jake Peavy walked a season-high five in the first four innings Sunday, the last two forcing in runs to give the Angels a 4-0 lead. Peavy, who was trying to win five straight decisions for the first time since April 2008, also issued leadoff walks in the third and fourth innings and both came around to score. Angels catcher Chris Iannetta walked to start the third and Los Angeles failed to move him over with both a hit-and-run and a sacrifice attempt, but No. 9 hitter J.B. Shuck laced a two-strike single to center that Alejandro De Aza bobbled just enough to put runners on the corners with no outs. Erick Aybar then drove a two-run double down the right field line for a 2-0 lead. The Sox pushed across one run in each of the final two innings on an Alex Rios double in the eighth and a De Aza sacrifice fly in the ninth.

What it means: The White Sox finished 4-3 on the road trip, a bit of a downer considering it included a season-long four-game winning streak. With the Cleveland Indians completing their three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners, the loss dropped Chicago to six games back in the American League Central. As for the good news, Rios’ RBI double extended his hitting streak to 14 games and Adam Dunn returned to the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with back spasms. Unfortunately, he didn’t make contact, striking out three times and walking in his other plate appearance.

Outside the box: Peavy has posted 125 victories in his career but none have come against the Angels. He fell to 0-4 against the club, the only team he hasn’t defeated when making at least five career starts. He’s now 0-3 at Angel Stadium, a bit surprising since he pitched so well while playing in Southern California from 2002-09 with the San Diego Padres. His five walks and seven strikeouts were also off kilter. He entered the game with a 6.38 walk-to-strikeout ratio, fourth best in the American League.

Off beat: The White Sox came in hitting .317 over their last six games, so Sunday’s poor offensive showing may seem like a step back. However, they didn’t swing the bat as poorly as the numbers would indicate. Rios lined out to Aybar at short to end the first, Conor Gillaspie lined out to center to end the second and the Angels’ infield snared line drives by Alexei Ramirez and Paul Konerko to begin and end the fourth. Mike Trout also made a diving catch on Jeff Keppinger's bullet in the right-center field gap to save a run in the seventh.

Up next: The White Sox head home to begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox beginning Monday. Chicago will send right-hander right-hander Dylan Axelrod (1-3, 4.27 ERA) to the mound against Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester (6-0, 2.72) in the 7:10 p.m. CT start from U.S. Cellular Field.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Hector Santiago strolled to the mound in the fourth inning with one thing on his mind Saturday afternoon: get the Chicago White Sox back in the dugout as quickly as possible.

Instead, it was Santiago who took the slow walk back to the dugout alone, unable to protect a four-run lead handed to him in the top half of the inning. The Los Angeles Angels would chase Santiago with three runs in the fourth, take the lead with two more in the fifth and eventually hold on to win 12-9, ending Chicago's season-long four-game winning streak.

"I was trying to make stuff happen when I didn't need to," the 25-year-old left-hander said. "That one inning I just tried to keep my pitch count down."

Santiago had walked a tightrope in the third, surrendering a walk, a single and a hit batter. He escaped the inning unscathed, but his pitch count had ballooned into the 60s. Santiago made note of that as he prepared to pitch the fourth.

"I never go out there and worry about my pitch count," he said. "If I go five [innings], or I go seven, it doesn't matter. I was trying to make better pitches than I needed to."

He began the inning by giving up a long home run to Mark Trumbo on an 0-and-2 pitch. He got Howie Kendrick to fly out, gave up a single to Alberto Callaspo, and then the wheels came off. He walked three straight batters with a wild pitch mixed in between, allowing the Angels to cut the deficit in half.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Chicago White Sox produced a season-high 17 hits Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, but their pitching didn't hold up in a 12-9 loss that ends their season-high four-game winning streak.

How it happened: The Sox took a 4-0 lead in their half of the fourth inning and appeared to be setting sail toward their fifth consecutive victory against the slumping Angels. But a leadoff home run by Mark Trumbo in the bottom of the fourth seemed to give the Angels life and frazzle Chicago starter Hector Santiago. The Angels scored twice more in the fourth and then took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth. The White Sox rallied from a two-run deficit in the eighth inning in Thursday's series opener, but the Angels thought they ended any chances of a comeback by scoring five runs in the seventh on Saturday, but Chicago came back with five of its own in the eighth, the last three on a home run by backup catcher Hector Gimenez that was his fourth hit of the game. That was as close as the Sox would come, however, as the Angels came back with two runs in the eighth for the highest run total against the White Sox this season.

What it means: With the Cleveland Indians posting another walk-off win earlier Saturday against the Seattle Mariners, the White Sox dropped five games back in the American League Central. More concerning could be the health of first baseman/designated hitter Adam Dunn, who did not take the field in the fifth inning after experiencing back spasms. Dunn had a two-run single earlier in the game to make him 8-for-19 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the past five games. Still, the White Sox can finish 5-2 on the trip with a win Sunday in the finale of the four-game series.

Outside the box: Santiago landed in the starting rotation after Jake Peavy was scratched from a May 2 start because of back spasms and earned a longer stay when it was learned Gavin Floyd would need season-ending elbow surgery. With fellow left-hander John Danks close to returning from offseason shoulder surgery, the White Sox will need to make room in the rotation as soon as next week. Santiago certainly didn't help his cause by failing to take advantage of a four-run lead in his fourth start this season. After the leadoff homer by Trumbo in the fourth, Santiago gave up a single and three straight walks to earn a much-deserved early hook.

Off beat: Angels starter Joe Blanton entered the game with an 0-7 record and a major league leading 75 hits surrendered in 46 innings. He certainly didn't improve that average by giving up two hits in each of the first three innings, but the White Sox couldn't muster a third hit in any of them and stranded all six runners. They loaded the bases in the fourth and this time didn't let Blanton off the hook, getting a two-run double from Alex Rios and a two-run single from Dunn for a 4-0 lead. Unfortunately, the White Sox continued to strand runners, leaving 11 on base through the first five innings and 12 in all, something that would come back to haunt them later in the game.

Up next: The White Sox will send right-hander Jake Peavy (5-1, 2.96 ERA) to the mound in the finale of the four-game series. The Angels will counter with left-hander Jason Vargas (2-3, 4.03 ERA) in the 2:35 p.m. CT start from Angel Stadium.