White Sox Hit Three Home Runs, Down Angels 9-4 in Tempe

TEMPE, AZ – The Chicago White Sox (2-1-1) continued their Cactus League schedule on Monday afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1-2). The White Sox sent Erik Johnson to the mound to start the game, and former White Sox pitcher Hector Santiago got the start for the Angelsa.

The Angels put up a pair of two out runs in the bottom of the first inning on White Sox starter Erik Johnson. After retiring the first two batters of the inning Johnson allowed back-to-back walks to the Angels Mike Trout, and Albert Pujols. Kole Calhoun drove in Mike Trout with an RBI single to left field, and Albert Pujols scored from third base on a wild pitch during the next at bat. The Angels led 2-0 after one inning of play.

White Sox left fielder Jerry Sands singled to center field to lead off the top of the second inning, and catcher Dioner Navarro followed that up with a two-run home run to left field, tying the game at 2-2. The home run by Navarro was the 8th of the spring campaign for the White Sox.

The White Sox threatened again in the top of the third inning with two outs. Jose Abreu doubled to right field over Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun, and Todd Frazier walked to set up runners at first, and second base with two outs. Angels pitcher Hector Santiago struck out Jerry Sands to end the threat, his fifth strike out in three innings pitched.

Angels outfielder Rafael Ortega doubled to center field, with one out in the bottom of the third inning. Angels center-fielder Mike Trout followed up the double with a two-run home run off of White Sox starter Erik Johnson, giving the Angels a 4-2 lead.

White Sox relievers Nate Jones, and Tommy Kahnle both threw 1-2-3 innings, in the fourth and fifth innings respectively.

In the top of the sixth inning the Sox cut the Angels lead to one, on an RBI single by outfielder Daniel Fields. Field drove in Adam Engel, who pinch ran for catcher Dioner Navarro. Navarro reached on a double to center field, his second hit of the ball game. The Angels led the White Sox 4-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the top the of seventh inning White Sox infielder Leury Garcia singled off of Angels reliever Kyle McGowin, setting up a two-run home run by White Sox infielder Steve Lombardozzi, giving the White Sox a 5-4 lead, their first lead of the game. Matt Davidson was hit by a pitch, after a Travis Ishikawa line-out. Davidson advanced to third on a Jacob May single, and scored on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Adam Engel. Hector Sanchez followed Engel up with a two out, RBI single to right field, scoring Jacob May, and giving the White Sox a 7-4 lead. The White Sox sent eight hitters to the plate in the seventh, four of them scoring as the White Sox held a 7-4 lead at the seventh inning stretch.

Carlos Sanchez led off the top of the eighth inning with a double to center field, his fourth double of the spring. Sanchez advanced to third on a ground out by Leury Garcia, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Steve Lombardozzi. The RBI was the third of the game for Lombardozzi. White Sox led 8-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.

Matt Davidson hit a 420 foot solo home run to center field in the top of the ninth, the third home run of the game for the White Sox, and the 10th White Sox home run in five Cactus League games. The White Sox collected nine runs, on 15 hits on the afternoon, and took a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

White Sox reliever Peter Tago retired the Angels in the ninth without incident, and wrapped up a third consecutive win for the White Sox in Cactus League play.

Notables:

• Jose Abreu: 3-3, 1B (2), 2B
• Dioner Navarro: 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
• Steve Lombardozzi: Go Ahead 2 run-home run in the top of the 7th inning, 3 RBI
• Nate Jones: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K