The Sports Xchange
Sep 25, 2017
CHICAGO -- Right-hander James Shields worked seven efficient innings and claimed a third win in his past four starts as the Chicago White Sox beat the Angels 4-2 on Monday, damaging Los Angeles' dwindling playoff hopes.
Shields (5-7) allowed two runs on four hits as he matched a season high in innings pitched while striking out eight and walking two.
Right-hander Juan Minaya faced four batters in a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save.
Nicky Delmonico went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Chicago (64-92) in the opener of the four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field. Andrelton Simmons went 2-for-4 to lead the Angels.
Right-handed starter Ricky Nolasco (6-15) took the loss as Los Angeles (77-79) fell for the seventh time in eight games as hopes for an American League wild-card berth continued to fade.
Los Angeles slipped five games behind the idle Minnesota Twins with six games to play.
Nolasco worked five-plus innings, departing in favor of left-handed reliever Jose Alvarez with runners on first and second with no outs.
Alvarez faced one batter, getting Omar Narvaez to pop out on a bunt and leaving for right-hander Blake Wood, who walked Tyler Saladino to load the bases.
Adam Engel reached first, grounding into a fielder's choice that drove home Delmonico for a 4-2 Chicago lead. Wood struck out Yolmer Sanchez to end the inning.
Nolasco was charged with four runs (two earned) on seven hits while walking one and striking out four.
Chicago opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning with two unearned runs. Delmonico doubled home Tim Anderson and Matt Davidson with a two-out drive off the right-center-field wall.
The Angels got one run back in the second when Martin Maldonado's two-out single to left scored Simmons from second.
Avisail Garcia led off the Chicago third with a triple to left that Justin Upton misjudged, allowing the ball to reach the wall. Garcia scored on Davidson's sacrifice fly to center for a 3-1 lead.
Mike Trout clubbed his 30th home with two outs in the fifth, narrowing the deficit to 3-2.
NOTES: The Angels are 3-1 this season against the White Sox, including a May sweep in Anaheim. ... Los Angeles is 25-14 against Chicago since 2012. ... CF Mike Trout's first inning walk gave him 90 for the season. He is aiming to become the seventh player in AL history with three 100-walk seasons prior to his age-25 season. ... The Angels send RHP Parker Bridwell (8-3, 3.86 ERA) against White Sox RHP Chris Volstad (1-0, 1.08 ERA) on Tuesday. Volstad picked up his first victory in five years in a Sept. 21 win over Houston. ... SS Tim Anderson was 0-for-4, snapping his career-high 15-game hitting streak ended, which was the longest by any White Sox player this season. ... 2B Yoan Moncada sat out the game due to flare-up of a shin irritation. He is hitting .338 with five homers and 11 RBIs in his past 15 games.