Angels Take Rubber Game Of Three-Gamer Against White Sox, 8-2, As Urena Stars Again

The Los Angeles Angels beat the Chicago White Sox today, 8-2, to clinch the three-game series behind a strong start by Walbert Urena and an early five-run rally that removed most of the suspense from this one. The key figure was Urena, who continues to prove that he belongs in the rotation when he can command his formidable stuff. Urena gave up just one run in six innings as he struck out five and allowed just two hits.

The White Sox did briefly take the lead early, though, after a double by Colson Montgomery and a single by Chase Meidroth in the second inning. Andrew Benintendi drove home Montgomery with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. That was all Chicago got off Urena, though, and the Angels proceeded to rally to take the lead with a vengeance.

The key blow was a three-run homer by Travis d’Arnaud, and the Angels plated their fourth run on a double by Bryce Teodosio followed by a triple by Zach Neto, who had another excellent day with two RBIs and two runs scored. The fifth run featured some comic relief, as Neto scored on a pop fly by Mike Trout that Meidroth lost in the sun at second because he forgot to wear his sunglasses. The Angels added to their 5-1 lead in the fourth inning in the weirdest way possible, as Jorge Soler and Jo Adell got hit by pitches back-to-back with the bases loaded.

Drew Pomeranz also hit a batter with the bases loaded to score a run for the White Sox in the seventh, which made it the first time in baseball history that three hitters drove in runs by getting hit with the bases loaded. The White Sox almost managed to bring the tying run to the plate when Munetaka Murakami came up with the bases loaded, but Pomeranz was able to survive the inning with a strikeout. The Angels added a final run in the eighth to make it 8-2, and reliever Chase Silseth did a nice job of finishing up and preventing any late White Sox fireworks.