LDN - Sports

Trout powers Angels to sweep of White Sox

[May 18, 2017] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Chicago White Sox reliever Anthony Swarzak had not given up a run all season. Then he faced Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout on Wednesday.

Trout stepped to the plate in the sixth inning and launched an 86 mph breaking ball just above the knees over the wall in left-center.

The streak was over, and essentially, so was the game. Trout's three-run blast gave the Angels a four-run lead in what eventually was a 12-8 win, with Los Angeles completing a three-game sweep of Chicago.

Swarzak began the season with 19 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings over 15 appearances. Not only had he not allowed a run, but he had allowed only one inherited runner to score all year.

The right-hander gave up an RBI single to Martin Maldonado in the sixth inning Wednesday, but the run was charged to White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez.

Cameron Maybin followed with an infield single before Trout went deep.

"Listen, he's been pitching very, very well," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of Swarzak. "He wants the ball every single day, but today he wasn't as sharp as he has been."

Maybin, who had a five-hit performance Tuesday, added three more hits and a walk on Wednesday. Since moving into the leadoff spot Tuesday, Maybin is 8-for-10 and has reached base in nine of 11 plate appearances.

"My answer's going to be it doesn't matter," Maybin said when asked about hitting atop the order. "I enjoy leading the way, leading the guys, getting things started. It allows me to use my approach and be a little more patient. But again, that's my job when they put me up there, and that's to get things started, and I've been able to do that."

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker, despite a slow start, managed to pitch into the seventh inning and get the win. Shoemaker (3-2) gave up four runs (three earned) in the first two innings but nothing else, allowing nine hits in all, striking out nine and walking one in 6 1/3 innings.

Asked if he made any specific adjustments after the first two innings, Shoemaker said, "Not really. Locked in ready to go, had a good game plan, great defense, and you saw what our hitters did."

While there was plenty of offense from both sides -- the White Sox had 15 hits, the Angels 13 -- the one hit that mattered the most was Trout's homer, his 13th of the season.

"It was a little more than big; we had a one-run lead at the time," Shoemaker said. "Especially seeing the final score. That opened up the game. Huge. He's fun to watch."

Gonzalez (3-4) surrendered five runs on six hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Jose Abreu homered and Avisail Garcia had three hits for the White Sox.

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Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) is congratulated by infielder Danny Espinosa after a MLB baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Angels defeated the White Sox 12-8. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"This game was one of those games that ended up evolving into something that happens very rarely," Renteria said. "We haven't had very many of these, we've been in almost every game throughout the course of the season. But I don't think it's something that will linger. It's done, it's over, we've got to get ready for the next series."

Shoemaker struck out three in the first inning, but in between the second and third strikeouts, the White Sox strung together four consecutive hits and took a 2-0 lead.

Melky Cabrera got it started with a two-out double, and Abreu followed with a two-run homer. Garcia and Todd Frazier each singled but were stranded when Shoemaker struck out Tim Anderson to end the inning.

The White Sox added two more runs in the second inning, getting two singles, a walk and a throwing error by shortstop Andrelton Simmons to up their lead to 4-0.

The Angels got all four runs back when they batted around in the bottom of the second inning. Gonzalez was his own worst enemy, walking four batters in the inning, three of whom scored. Ben Revere had an RBI triple, Maldonado had an RBI groundout, and then Albert Pujols' two-out, two-run single tied the game.

NOTES: Angels DH Albert Pujols had two RBIs to increase his team-leading total to 32 this year and his career total to 1,849, 11th on the all-time list. It has helped him having CF Mike Trout hitting in front of him and getting on base -- Trout's .451 on-base percentage leads the American League. ... Angels RF Kole Calhoun was given a "recharge day" by manager Mike Scioscia. In his last nine games, Calhoun has four hits in 35 at-bats with 15 strikeouts. ... White Sox 1B Jose Abreu hit his seventh home run of the season in the first inning. All seven homers have been hit on the road. His last home run in Chicago came last Sept. 15 vs. Cleveland, meaning he has not gone deep at home in his last 23 games, including 16 home games this year.

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