Garcia Lifts White Sox To 3-2 Win In 13th, Sweep Of Angels
CHICAGO (AP) — Avisail Garcia didn't need to hit the ball out of the park this time. He just hit it hard and far enough.
Garcia's line-drive double to the wall with one out in the 13th inning drove in Jose Abreu from first base and lifted the Chicago White Sox to 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night to finish a three-game sweep.
Garcia's hitting and power have picked up — he has four homers in his last eight games. But he just tried to make contact off Cesar Ramos (2-1), the Angels' sixth pitcher out the bullpen. Ramos gave up a single to Abreu and then Garcia's double to left-center.
"I'm staying back on the breaking ball now and recognize the pitches and don't try to do too much," the 24-year-old Garcia said. "Just learn to put the ball in play because we had a tough game.
"We've been fighting, so I think I found a good pitch to hit."
Matt Albers (2-0), Chicago's sixth reliever, pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Los Angeles lost its ninth straight on the road.
This one went to extra innings when Abreu botched a play at first in the ninth, allowing Angels pinch runner Taylor Featherston to race home from third and tie the game at 2 on Conor Gillaspie's grounder to first.
With one out and runners at first and third, White Sox closer David Robertson got Gillaspie to bounce softly to Abreu at first, who tagged the bag for the second out.
Rather than throwing home, Abreu threw to Alexei Ramirez who was covering second and pursued Johnny Giavotella in a rundown. After Ramirez obstructed Giovatella, he was ruled safe at second to extend the inning.
The weird tone was set when Robertson, who had his sixth blown save in 29 chances, struck out Erick Aybar on a pitch in the dirt to open the ninth. White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers tagged Aybar to complete the play and home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth called Aybar out.
But Aybar ran to first and Angels manager Mike Scioscia asked for a video review, contending the tag was missed. Scioscia argued near home plate for several minutes after the review was complete, throwing off Robertson's rhythm.
"I feel like Scioscia was very bush league going out there and standing in front of home plate after the play had already been reviewed," Robertson said.
Scioscia's was more concerned about the sliding Angels' inability to drive in runners. They left 14 on base and were 0 for 15 with men in scoring position despite scoring twice.
"We lost that game long before the 13th inning," Scioscia said. "We had a lot of opportunities."
White Sox starter John Danks pitched one-run ball into the eighth and was in line for the win after Ramirez doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth. The left-hander scattered five hits and worked around three walks.
Angels rookie left-hander Andrew Heaney allowed two runs on six hits and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings.
Gordon Beckham drove in Chicago's first run with a sac fly. Gillaspie, making his first appearance against his former team, snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a double in the fifth to drive in Los Angeles' first run.
Chicago center fielder Trayce Thompson, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson, went 2 for 3 in his fifth big-league game. He's 6 for 12 since his call-up from Triple-A Charlotte last Friday.
White Sox rookie third baseman Tyler Saladino scored a run and sparkled in the field. He made an unassisted double play in the fifth, then threw out Mike Trout at home in the sixth to keep the game tied at 1.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: According to Scioscia, 3B David Freese (broken right finger) "had a really good session hitting" on Wednesday, but still can only throw "100 feet at 60-70 percent intensity." The Angels are struggling offensively, but Scioscia ruled out Freese returning only as a DH. ... LHP C.J. Wilson (left elbow) has undergone complete set of tests on his injury, believed to be season ending.
White Sox: 1B/DH Adam LaRoche wasn't in the Chicago lineup for the second straight game. Signed to a two-year, $25 million contract in the offseason, LaRoche is hitting only .213. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said LaRoche probably would be back in the lineup on Friday against the surging Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field.
TRAYCE-ING HIS STEPS
Thompson, 24, knows he has a way to go until he's not just known as the younger brother of his NBA sharpshooter sibling. "People are going to refer to me as that until I make an All-Star team or until I win a championship," Trayce said before Wednesday's game. "It is what it is it. It doesn't bother me. ... To me Klay is just my older brother, he's not a basketball player."
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Garrett Richards (11-9, 3.51 ERA) takes the mound against Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie (8-7, 5.84 ERA) as Los Angeles opens a four-game series in Kansas City.
White Sox: Following a day off, RHP Jeff Samardzija (8-7, 4.62 ERA) faces his old team for the first time in the series opener on Friday. Kyle Hendricks (6-5, 3.73 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cubs.
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