Angels 7, White Sox 0
CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Angels scored five first-inning runs and Hector Santiago matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts and allowed only two hits over seven innings in a 7-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Santiago's first win of the season helped the Angels (6-7) snap a three-game losing streak. The White Sox (8-5), who won eight of their first 10 games, have now dropped three straight.
The Angels chased White Sox starter Carlos Rodon after only one-third of an inning with five runs and six hits. Kole Calhoun, Andrelton Simmons and Geovany Soto strung together three straight RBI singles. The Angels also scored on a throwing error by White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu before another run-scoring single by Johnny Giavotella ended Rodon's night.
Rodon, who entered Monday night's game with a 1.38 ERA, threw only 41 pitches before being lifted in favor of reliever Jake Petricka, who pitched out of a bases-loaded jam by getting Angels leadoff hitter Yunel Escobar to ground into a double play.
The early dose of offense was all the Angels and Santiago would need.
The Angels, who had scored four or more runs only twice over their first 12 games, extended their lead to 6-0 in the second inning. After back-to-back singles to start the inning and a Soto sacrifice bunt, C.J. Cron delivered a one-out single -- the fourth RBI to come from the final four hitters in the Angels lineup.
Cron, who went 3-for-4 for the Angels, drove in his second run of the night in the eighth, scoring Simmons, who led off the inning with a double -- his third hit of the night. Calhoun and Soto also had two hits apiece for the Angels.
Santiago, who had struggled in his first two starts, was impressive, surrendering only two hits over his seven innings of work. Santiago also walked three, but never ran into trouble, allowing only an Abreu single in the first inning and a double to Adam Eaton in the sixth.
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins had Chicago's only other hit of the night with a double in the eighth.
NOTES: Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs will throw four innings on Wednesday for Triple-A Salt Lake City as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. Skaggs threw three innings in a minor league start April 15 and could throw five innings after he throws four this week as a way to conserve innings for later this season. ... Manager Mike Scioscia said Monday that OF Daniel Nava is completely shut down from baseball activities after being placed on the disabled list on April 16 with tendinitis in his left knee. ... White Sox OF Adam Eaton is adjusting to fatherhood after his wife recently gave wife to a baby boy. Eaton said having a newborn at home has given him a new perspective and a new sleeping pattern. "I haven't woken up at 8 a.m. before a night game in a very, very long time," Eaton said Monday.