Latos Lowers ERA To 0.49, Helps White Sox Shut Out Angels
CHICAGO (AP) — Mat Latos didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, Todd Frazier and Jose Abreu hit solo home runs and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels, 5-0, on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
Latos (3-0) allowed two hits over 6 1/3 innings and lowered his ERA to 0.49 through three starts.
Frazier went deep to left in the second and Abreu homered to center in the fifth off fastballs by Matt Shoemaker (1-2) in the Angels' fourth loss in five games.
Andrelton Simmons doubled to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and end Latos' night after 101 pitches. Adam Eaton then threw out Simmons at the plate when he tried to score off C.J. Cron's one-out single to right.
Nate Jones pitched two innings for his first career save.
Matt Albers got out of the seventh to extend the majors' longest active scoreless streak to 30 innings.
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run triple to center off Jose Alvarez during a three-run eighth to put it out of reach.
The White Sox needed a quality start after Carlos Rodon got one out in a 7-0 loss Monday in the series opener.
Latos came through. The 28-year-old pitched for three teams last year, including a short stint with the Angels. He didn't sign with the White Sox until a week before spring training.
The right-hander didn't need a lot of help, and didn't get it.
Four hours before the game, Frazier and some teammates were taking extra batting practice, something manager Robin Ventura said "we need" after getting 11 runs in six games.
Frazier, who came in hitting .155, lined Shoemaker's 92 mph fastball into the left field seats. Abreu's 403-foot homer to straightaway center made it 2-0.
Latos overcame three walks and 47 pitches in two innings and got into a groove until Carlos Perez's soft single up the middle.
Latos didn't issue a walk over the final five innings and struck out five.
Shoemaker gave up six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: Manager Mike Scioscia said LHP Andrew Heaney (elbow) has "plateaued" in his recovery and still playing catch at 60 feet because of tightness. "He's got a ways to go," Scioscia said. ... LHP C.J. Wilson (shoulder) is playing catch at 90 feet and is not close to throwing off a mound.
White Sox: Ventura plans to stick with 13 pitchers through the end of the week after calling up righty Erik Jones from the minors. Relievers Zach Putnam, Jake Petricka and Dan Jennings were unavailable after lengthy outings Monday. OF J.B. Shuck was sent down because of the overworked bullpen. "That's the brutal side of baseball," Ventura said.
UP NEXT
White Sox ace Chris Sale (3-0, 2.35 ERA) faces Angels ace Garrett Richards (0-2, 3.57) on Wednesday. Sale is coming off a two-hit shutout of Tampa Bay. The Angels have scored only five runs in losing all three of Richards' starts.
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