Latos, White Sox blank Angels

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[April 20, 2016]  CHICAGO -- Coming out of spring training, Mat Latos remained a major question mark for the Chicago White Sox.

Three starts into the season, all of the doubts seem to have been erased.

Latos allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings and Todd Frazier and Jose Abreu each homered as the White Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

Latos (3-0) didn't allow a hit until surrendering a one-out single in the fifth inning and struck out five. His latest sparking performance is a far cry from spring training when Latos surrendered 23 hits in 13 innings in three starts.

"I go out there every fifth day and I think nobody can touch me," Latos said. "That's the way you have to look at it."

The Chicago offense took care of the rest, breaking the game open with three runs in the eighth.

Melky Cabrera delivered two-run triple to go along with a Brett Lawrie RBI single -- both against Angels reliever Jose Alvarez.

Alvarez struggled after coming in for starter Matt Shoemaker, who gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. And after Latos kept the Angels off-balance throughout the night, the insurance runs finally allowed Chicago to breathe a little easier.

"I think you're seeing that we can score late," manager Robin Ventura said. "We've done that a few times when our bullpen does a nice job of holding (opponents) in check and we grind out some more at-bats and get that insurance run and a little padding we need."

The White Sox (9-5) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Frazier's home run. Frazier, who was projected as a big bat in his first season in Chicago, snapped a 2-for-23 slump with his third homer of the season.

Abreu doubled the White Sox lead in the fourth, drilling the first pitch from Shoemaker 402 feet over the center-field wall.

The White Sox threatened to extend their lead, loading the bases on singles by Frazier, Cabrera and Austin Jackson. But Shoemaker escaped the jam, getting Avisail Garcia to fly out before Dioner Navarro lined out to first.

Latos kept the Angels (6-8) in check and didn't allow a hit until Carlos Perez singled softly to center field with one out in the fifth.

Latos, who has only allowed six hits in 18 1/3 innings in his first year with the White Sox, also gave up an Andrelton Simmons double in the seventh. But even the extra-base hit didn't hurt Latos after White Sox right fielder Adam Eaton cut down Simmons at the plate with a perfect throw on a C.J. Cron double.

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Given the tightness of the game at the time, Eaton's throw loomed large, keeping the White Sox two-run lead in check before the late three runs that showed what kind of offense Chicago is capable of putting up.

"We have a different vibe (this year)," Abreu said through an interpreter. "I think we're a better team this year and everybody is working hard."

One night after erupting for seven runs, the Angels couldn't generate any offense, managing only three hits after piling up 13 in a 7-0 win in Monday night's series opener.

On Tuesday, the Angels were shut out for the second time this season and tied a season-low with the three hits as Los Angeles wasn't able to get anything rolling offensively -- especially against Latos before Matt Albers and Nate Jones finished the job.

"I don't think (Latos) was doing anything special -- he was obviously hitting his spots," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We had some chances and he made some pitches to get out of some jams. He just pitched a good game for those guys."

NOTES: Angels 1B C.J. Cron hit in the No. 7 spot after batting eighth in the series opener. Cron, who was hitting .159 entering Tuesday after registering three hits on Monday, will remain at the bottom of the lineup until his hitting improves to the point that manager Mike Scioscia feels like he starts to "swing it like he can." Once that takes place, Scioscia said Cron will be moved to the middle of the order. ... White Sox RHP Erik Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. He was 0-1 with 4.22 ERA and 12 strikeouts in two starts with the Knights. Manager Robin Ventura said Johnson will work out of the bullpen while the White Sox carry 13 pitchers on their roster. Johnson took the roster spot of OF J.B. Shuck, who was optioned to Triple-A after Monday night's loss to the Angels.

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

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