LDN - Sports

Santiago goes seven sterling innings in Angels' shutout

[July 16, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Hector Santiago threw seven scoreless innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night at Angel Stadium.

Santiago (7-4) gave up five hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter to claim his third victory in his last three starts.

The Angels broke open a tight game when they batted around in the seventh inning and scored five runs. White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez (2-5) pitched well through six innings before the Angels knocked him out of the game in the seventh.

Santiago has had his ups and downs this season, but he's definitely on the upswing of late. With his stering outing on Friday, he has a consecutive scoreless innings streak of 15. And he hasn't given up an earned run in 22 consecutive innings.

The closest the White Sox came to scoring against Santiago was in the seventh after getting a two-out rally started. Todd Frazier singled and Brett Lawrie followed with a single to left.

When Angels left fielder Daniel Nava was slow to the baseball, Frazier broke for third, drawing a throw from Nava. That allowed Lawrie to take second, putting the potential tying run in scoring position.

But Santiago got Dioner Navarro to pop up his next pitch, getting the third out and escaping the inning with the shutout intact.

The Angels had nine hits in all, including two each from Yunel Escobar and Geovany Soto.

The White Sox have been shut out in back-to-back games, including the last game going into the All-Star break, when they were blanked by Atlanta. Chicago is scoreless in its past 23 innings overall.

The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the third against Gonzalez after Ji-Man Choi, getting the start at first base, opened the inning with a single. Choi was on second base two outs later when Yunel Escobar singled to left, driving in Choi.

Kole Calhoun followed with a double into the right-field corner, scoring Escobar from first and giving the Angels a 2-0 lead.

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Angels catcher Geovany Soto (18) talks with starting pitcher Hector Santiago (53) during the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It was plenty of run support for the way Santiago was pitching early. He retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced through three innings, striking out six and allowing only a double to Adam Eaton in the first inning.

Eaton also singled in the fourth, but no other White Sox hitter had a hit through five innings.

NOTES: The White Sox activated 1B/DH Justin Morneau from the disabled list after the 2006 American League MVP completed his rehab assignment. Morneau, who had surgery on his left elbow last December, was signed by the White Sox on June 9 but was not in the starting lineup Friday because the Angels were throwing LHP Hector Santiago. ... White Sox RHP Carson Fulmer was called up from Double-A Birmingham. To make room on the roster for Morneau and Fulmer, OF Jason Coats as optioned to Triple-A Charlotte and RHP Scott Carroll was outrighted to Charlotte. ... Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs threw seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday, walking none, allowing one hit and striking out 14. Skaggs, who hasn?t pitched in the majors since July 31, 2014, because of Tommy John surgery, likely will need one more minor league rehab start before joining the big league club. ... Angels SS Andrelton Simmons took a 12-game hitting streak into the game, during which time he hit .413 (19 for 46).

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