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 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.
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