CHICAGO - A.J. Pierzynski paused, then whirled around and took off for first base.

Better run it out, just in case.

Well, just in case turned into "HOLY SMOKES!" and the White Sox capitalized for what is sure to go down as one of the most disputed victories in postseason history.

Given a second chance when plate umpire Doug Eddings called strike three - but not the third out - Chicago beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 on Wednesday night on Joe Crede's two-out double in the ninth inning to even the best-of-seven AL championship series at a game apiece.

Moments earlier, third-string catcher Josh Paul and his Los Angeles teammates ran off the field, certain they were headed to extra innings.

Pierzynski had other ideas.

"The third strike is in the dirt, you run," he said simply.

In a sequence as bizarre as any imaginable on a baseball field, Pierzynski swung at and missed a low pitch from Angels reliever Kelvim Escobar, appearing to end the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied at 1.

The ball was gloved by Paul - replays appeared to show he caught it cleanly just before it would have hit the dirt. And behind him, Eddings clearly raised his right arm and closed his fist, signaling strike three.

"When he rings him up with a fist, he's out," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said.

Being a catcher - Scioscia was one, too - Pierzynski knew to play it all the way through. After taking a step toward the dugout, he whipped around and hustled to first.

"I thought for sure the ball hit the ground. I watched the replay 50 times and I still don't know," Pierzynski said. "I didn't hear him say out, Josh didn't tag me."

In fact, Eddings was silent.

"I did not say, `No catch,'" said Eddings, a major league umpire since 1999 who is working his third postseason assignment. "I'm watching Josh Paul, seeing what he's going to do."

After the game, Eddings watched several replays and stood by his call.

"We saw it on a couple different angles, the ball changes directions," Eddings said. "I had questions. I didn't have him catching the ball."

Positive the inning was over, Paul rolled the ball out to the mound with the Angels already coming off the field, so Pierzynski was easily safe.

"Customarily, if the ball is in the dirt, say if we block a ball for strike three, they usually say, `No catch, no catch, no catch.' And I didn't hear any of that," Paul said. "That's why I was headed back to the dugout."

Then everybody stopped, including the umpires. When they let Pierzynski stay at first, Scioscia came out of the dugout to argue.

The umpires huddled and upheld the call after a delay of about four minutes. Last year's postseason was marked by umpires consulting and drawing praise for getting important calls correct - even if it meant overturning the original ruling.

When it looked as if play was about to begin again, Scioscia came out again and Eddings conferred with third-base umpire Ed Rapuano.

Again the call stood, and the White Sox took advantage.

"I didn't do anything," Pierzynski said. "I struck out."

Sure, but that's not what fans will remember for years to come.

What Pierzynski recalled at the key moment Wednesday night was this: Last season with the San Francisco Giants, he didn't realize he needed to throw to first base on a third strike and a Boston runner reached safely.

"It happened to me last year in San Fran and I was the catcher and I did that," Pierzynski said. "That popped in the back of my head just to run, and if he calls me out, he calls me out."

After Pierzynski's heads-up play, pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna quickly stole second, and Crede lined an 0-2 pitch into the left-field corner for a game-winning double.

Mark Buehrle pitched a five-hitter for the first complete game of this postseason, and the White Sox bounced back from a tight loss in the opener.

"Do we feel lucky? No," Pierzynski said. "Did they feel lucky when they won last night?"

Probably not, but they certainly felt robbed this time. Scioscia and several Angels lingered in the dugout, staring in disbelief at what they had seen.

Until now, the most famous play involving a dropped third strike came in Game 4 of the 1941 World Series. Brooklyn catcher Mickey Owen let strike three get past him, and New York's Tommy Henrich reached first safely instead of making the final out.

The Yankees rallied for a 7-4 victory and won the Series the next day.

This series shifts to Anaheim for Game 3 on Friday. The travel-weary Angels were planning to finally get some sleep - but that might be difficult after losing this way.

Smooth as ever, Buehrle cruised through the ninth on eight pitches, jogging over to catch Garret Anderson's inning-ending popup himself and casually tossing the ball into the stands.

"One of the best games of my career," he said.

Robb Quinlan homered for the Angels and saved a run with a sparkling defensive play at third base, throwing out Aaron Rowand at the plate.

Los Angeles starter Jarrod Washburn, coming off a throat infection and fever, allowed only an unearned run in 4 2-3 innings.

Notes:

Eddings rotates to umpire RF in Game 3. There's a low wall out there at Angel Stadium, so he's sure to hear it from angry Angels fans.