The Los Angeles Angels squander a four-run lead as Munetaka Murakami's late heroics propel the White Sox to victory on Monday.
The Los Angeles Angels entered Monday night with losses in eight of the last nine games in an unfortunate skid.
The game started much later due to a weather delay, so this ended just before 11 PM on the West Coast and after midnight in Chicago as the Chicago White Sox earned the victory.
The beginning of the game got off to a strong start as the Angels jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Jorge Soler hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, driving in Mike Trout. Then, Bryce Teodosio had an RBI double and Zach Neto hit an RBI single in the second.
Vaughn Grissom had a RBI sac fly in the fourth, and a 4-0 lead seemed good for the Angels.
Things went the White Sox's way after that. They scored a run in the fifth, and Soler had a solo home run in the seventh to make it 5-1.
Then, the White Sox broke free in the seventh inning.
Tristan Peters had an RBI single, Andrew Benintendi had a two-run double, and Munetaka Murakami continued his strong play with a three-run home run to give Chicago a 7-4 lead.
Miguel Vargas followed suit with a solo shot and the White Sox had an 8-5 lead going into the ninth inning.
That was Murakami's 12th home run to give him the MLB lead early on.
The Angels sure made things interesting in the ninth inning, however. Mike Trout reached on an error, Grissom doubled to center, and Soler drove in Trout on a ground ball.
Jo Adell then singled, and Oswald Peraza struck out to bring in Nolan Schanuel with two on and two out and the Angels trailing by two in the ninth inning.
Schanuel kept it alive with an RBI double, bringing in Grissom to make it 8-7 White Sox.
That brought Adam Frazier to the plate with two runners in scoring position, but the veteran infielder grounded out to end the game and give the Angels another loss.
Jack Kochanowicz got the start for the Angels, and he went six innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits in another strong outing for the 25-year-old.
The Angels and White Sox will face off on Tuesday. Jose Soriano and his 5-0 record and 0.24 ERA will take the mound for the Angels, as Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01 ERA) will toe the rubber for the White Sox in the second game of the series.