The Los Angeles Angels desperately need to start stacking wins and series victories after falling to the bottom of the MLB standings.
The Los Angeles Angels picked up a much-needed 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox Tuesday night, overcoming a ninth inning surge by the South Siders to even the series heading into the rubber match on Wednesday.
The White Sox jumped in front of the Angels 2-0 in the first inning after right fielder Randal Grichuk hit an RBI single in his first appearance with Chicago and catcher Edgar Quero knocked in Miguel Vargas with a sacrifice fly.
Los Angeles countered with solo home runs from center fielder Mike Trout and designated hitter Jorge Soler in the bottom half of the first. Shortstop Zach Neto hit a solo shot of his own in the fifth and first baseman Nolan Schanuel doubled home Trout to take a 4-2 lead.
The White Sox got one back in the seventh on a Chase Meidroth homer and threatened with bases loaded in the ninth inning but couldn’t bring home the tying run, giving Angels right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn his first save of the season.
Neto, who had been struggling at the dish, said postgame that he broke out of his slump by ripping Pokémon cards.
“Zach Neto said he got out of his slump after opening Pokémon cards with Mike Trout pregame to get his mind off things,” Bollinger posted on X Wednesday. “He packed a Charizard card and Trout told him the box of cards would bring them homers. And they both went deep tonight and Trout hugged Neto after his homer.”
That’s a feel-good moment for the young shortstop, and maybe it carries him into a hot streak.
The pitching matchup for the finale will be White Sox lefty Noah Schultz squaring off against Angels right-hander Walbert Urena, who is OK after taking a comebacker off the knee in his last appearance.
Schultz has been great since coming up for the White Sox, going 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP through four starts (21.1 innings). The tall and lanky southpaw last worked against the San Diego Padres on Friday and dealt, throwing six shutout innings and allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out two. Schultz will face the following lineup:
1. Neto (SS)
2. Trout (CF)
3. Vaughn Grissom (2B)
4. Soler (DH)
5. Jo Adell (RF)
6. Oswald Peraza (3B)
7. Schanuel (1B)
8. Travis d’Arnaud (C)
9. Bryce Teodosio (LF)
Urena was cooking the New York Mets during his last outing, completing five one-run innings on two hits and three walks with four punchouts, but had to leave the game after taking a comebacker to the knee. He’s good to go today and the Angels are hoping he can stop a White Sox team that has been rolling lately.
1. Sam Antonacci (LF)
2. Munetaka Murakami (1B)
3. Vargas (3B)
4. Colson Montgomery (SS)
5. Meidroth (2B)
6. Andrew Benintendi (DH)
7. Jared Kelenic (RF)
8. Tristan Peters (CF)
9. Drew Romo (C)
First pitch is at 1:07 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.