Angels 8, White Sox 4 (1st)
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back home runs and Garrett Richards struck out nine as visiting Los Angeles took the opener of a doubleheader from Chicago.
Josh Hamilton added a solo homer while Chris Iannetta drove in two runs and scored for the Angels, who picked up their eighth win in the last 10 games. Richards (9-2) had a shaky start but settled in after the first inning and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in eight innings.
Jose Abreu blasted his major league-leading 26th home run to extend his hitting streak to 15 games for the White Sox. Hector Noesi (2-6) started for Chicago and was reached for five runs on three hits and a career-high seven walks while striking out seven in five innings.
Richards walked the first two batters in the first and struck out Conor Gillaspie before Abreu lined a 3-1 fastball the opposite way into the seats down the right-field line. Los Angeles wasted a bases-loaded situation in the third when Pujols grounded into an inning-ending double play but put something together in the fifth as the first two batters reached on a walk and bunt single.
Noesi retired the next batter but left a 2-2 pitch up to Trout, who sent a towering fly out to left before Pujols followed with the go-ahead shot to straightaway center. Iannetta plated his first run in the sixth and Hamilton took Ronald Belisario out in the seventh as the Angels put it away.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Abreu, who spent two weeks on the DL at the end of May, became the first player in MLB history to reach 26 home runs in his first 70 games. … Trout has recorded 41 RBIs in his last 42 games. … Angels LHP Rich Hill made his team debut in the ninth and loaded the bases on a single and two walks before being replaced by closer Joe Smith, who allowed an inherited runner to score but got the final three outs for his eighth save.