Trout Helps Angels Win Back-To-Back Games
CHICAGO (AP) Mike Trout had two hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh inning, to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Hank Conger reached on Conor Gillaspie's error to start the inning and scored on Trout's sharp single to right off reliever Matt Lindstrom that gave the Angels a 6-5 lead. J.B. Shuck then scored on a passed ball.
The Angels built a 5-1 lead after Brendan Harris homered in the fourth. He had three hits and scored twice. The White Sox rallied in the bottom half of the inning scoring four to tie it.
Michael Kohn (1-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the win. Ernesto Frieri allowed a leadoff walk to Alexei Ramirez in the ninth but struck out the side and picked up his sixth save in seven attempts.
The Angels won consecutive games for the first time since beating the Tigers three straight April 19-21. They also improved to 6-13 on the road. Their seven runs were the most since they scored eight in a 10-8 loss April 29 at Oakland.
In six-plus innings, Chicago starter Dylan Axelrod allowed six runs and seven hits.
Axelrod (0-3) left after Gillaspie's error in the seventh for Chicago, which has lost four of six.
Angels starter Barry Enright replaced Tommy Hanson, who was scheduled to start but was placed on the restricted list before Friday's game. Enright lasted 3 1-3 innings, giving up four hits and five runs.
Los Angeles, which won Thursday in Houston despite an umpiring error that led to a two-game suspension for crew chief Fieldin Culbreth, fell behind early.
Alejandro De Aza gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first with a leadoff home run. The home run was De Aza's seventh of the season and seventh career leadoff homer. He's done it three times this season, including on Wednesday at New York. De Aza is the first Chicago player to start consecutive games with a home run since Kenny Lofton in July 2002.
The Angels scored four times in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Albert Pujols had a two-run double and Mark Trumbo an RBI single.
The White Sox scored four times in the fourth to tie the game, capped by a two-out single from Tyler Flowers.
Chicago loaded the bases with no outs on a double and two walks. Alex Rios scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2. Dayan Viciedo, who came off the disabled list earlier Friday, doubled to left driving in two to cut the Angels lead to 5-4 and chase Enright.
Mark Lowe then replaced Enright and gave up Flowers' single that brought in Viciedo.
NOTES: Angels manager Mike Scioscia was asked Friday if owner Arte Moreno needed to give him a public vote of confidence and said "not for what I do. Not for my benefit." Los Angeles entered Friday having lost five of its last seven, fueling speculation about the job security of the Angels manager, who's in his 14th season. . White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham took 100 swings off a tee before Friday's game. Beckham is on the disabled list after breaking his left hamate bone April 9 in Washington and undergoing surgery on April 16. . Angels third baseman Erick Aybar was not in the lineup after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring Thursday in Houston. Scioscia said Aybar and reliever Scott Downs, who injured his right foot Thursday, are both day-to-day.
