Anaheim, CA – Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs as the LA Angels of Anaheim took a 12-9 win over the Chicago White Sox in the third of a four-game set.
Mark Trumbo went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and three runs scored, while Albert Pujols added two hits and scored two runs for the Angels, who snapped a three-game slide.
"It's great to help out the team and this was a good win," said Trumbo. "The whole team had a lot of focused at-bats today."
Joe Blanton lasted just 4 1/3 innings in the start for Anaheim, giving up four runs on 11 hits with a pair of walks and six strikeouts. Robert Coello (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 flawless frames to pick up the win.
Hector Gimenez was 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and two runs scored for the White Sox, who had a four-game winning streak stopped. Alex Rios and Adam Dunn each drove in two runs
Chicago starter Hector Santiago gave up three runs on four hits with four walks over 3 1/3 innings. Nate Jones (0-4) picked up the loss after getting tagged for four runs on three hits with a pair of walks in 3 1/3 innings of work.
"Hector wasn't able to throw strikes today," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura. "The walks bothered me, but we weren't very good all around out there today."
This game was scoreless until the fourth inning when the White Sox went on top. The first two batters reached base before the next two recorded outs. Alexei Ramirez kept the frame alive and loaded the bags when he was hit by a pitch, and Rios followed with a double to chase home two. Dunn then punched a single to right to score two more for a 4-0 advantage.
The Angels answered over the next two innings to take the lead, and it began when Trumbo led off the home four with his 10th home run of the season.
Callaspo later singled while Brendan Harris and Chris Iannetta walked to load the bases. J.B. Shuck then walked to force home a run and after Nate Jones took over for Santiago, Erick Aybar's sacrifice fly made it a 4-3 game.
Pujols led off the fifth with a double and Trumbo followed with a two-bagger to tie the game. Two batters later, Callaspo's sac fly scored Trumbo for a 5-4 lead.
In the seventh, the Angels padded their lead as Mike Trout and Trumbo walked before Callaspo hit a shot over the left field wall. Shuck added a two-run double later in the frame for a 10-4 advantage.
The White Sox got back into the game in the eighth inning and made it a one- run game as RBI singles from Paul Konerko and Dayan Viciedo were followed later in the inning by a three-run home run from Gimenez to make it a 10-9 game.
The Angels, though, created some space in the eighth off of Howie Kendrick's RBI double and a sac fly from Callaspo for a 12-9 lead.
Game Notes
Chicago first baseman Adam Dunn left the game in the fifth inning with back spasms. Ventura said after the game that Dunn is day-to-day ... Rios extended his hitting streak to 13 games and he is 20-for-53 during the run ... Chicago batted 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position, but left 12 men on base ... Each team has won three games in the season series.