White Sox 8, Angels 2
CHICAGO -- Chris Sale got back to dominating hitters, and Avisail Garcia clubbed two home runs, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sale, who was roughed up in his previous two starts, went 7 1/3 innings and struck out seven on 104 pitches (72 strikes). He allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and hit Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun with a pitch before leaving in the eighth.
Garcia, who drove in four runs, has four home runs in his past six games, all hit at home. Prior to the homer binge, Garcia hit just two home runs in his previous 48 games, which included a 46-game homerless drought from June 8 and Aug. 4.
Left fielder Melky Cabrera went 2-for-3 with an RBI, first baseman Jose Abreu went 2-for-4 with two runs, and catcher Tyler Flowers went 2-for-4 with a home run for Chicago, which finished with 13 hits.
The Angels were led offensively by center fielder Mike Trout (2-for-3) and second baseman Johnny Giavotella, (2-for-4 with two RBIs). Right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who hadn't allowed a run in 19 innings coming in, started for Los Angeles (59-52) and took the loss.
The White Sox (52-58) charged out to a 3-0 lead on runs in the first, third and fourth against Shoemaker, then made it 7-0 with four runs on five hits in the sixth.
Garcia's second homer of the game highlighted the big inning, which started with a single by Abreu and double by Cabrera ahead of Garcia's blast.
Shoemaker (5-8) went 5 2/3 innings and was charged with seven runs on nine hits, including three home runs.
The Angels got two back on a one-out double by Giavotella in the seventh, but that was all they got off Sale (10-7). Right-hander Nate Jones relieved Sale in the eighth and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to finish off the win.
The White Sox put a quick end to Shoemaker's scoreless innings streak by taking a 1-0 lead in the first on two hits and a sacrifice fly hit by Cabrera. Shoemaker hadn't allowed a run in his previous three starts, which made him just the third pitcher in Angels history to post that many scoreless outings in a row with at least seven strikeouts in each start.
Chicago added runs in the third and fourth to make it 3-0 on long homers by Flowers and Garcia, respectively.
NOTES: Angels manager Mike Scioscia said 3B David Freese (broken right index finger) is further ahead in his recovery swinging a bat than he is throwing a baseball, so Freese will start out as a designated hitter on a yet-to-be-determined rehab stint. ... Angels OF Collin Cowgill (sprained right wrist) will begin a rehab stint Tuesday or Wednesday. Scioscia said Cowgill could start out playing DH but is expected to play both DH and outfield this week. ... Former White Sox 3B Conor Gillaspie didn't start in his first return to U.S. Cellular Field since Chicago traded him to the Angels on July 24 for cash considerations. ... White Sox GM Rick Hahn said the focus for his team hasn't yet shifted to next season. "We aren't to the point yet where we're necessarily looking strictly at the future," Hahn said. ... Chicago C Tyler Flowers started Monday after needing a bag of fluid Sunday following extreme heat in Kansas City.