New Angels Catcher Knocks In 4 Runs In MLB Debut, Angels Beat White Sox 12-8

ANAHEIM (AP)  — Francisco Arcia became the first Los Angeles Angels player with four RBIs in his major league debut, hitting a three-run homer in a 12-8 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

A 28-year-old who has spent 12 seasons in the minor leagues, Arcia was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake and started at catcher following the trade of Martin Maldonado to Houston earlier in the day. Batting eighth in the order, Arcia lined out in the second inning, walked in the fourth, struck out in the fifth and hit a three-run homer in the seventh against Juan Minaya that put the Angels ahead 9-5. He added a run-scoring single in the eighth off Chris Volstad.

Ian Kinsler and Kole Calhoun also homered for the Angels, who have won consecutive games for the first time since June 29-30. Albert Pujols singled for his 3,060th hit, tying Craig Biggio for 24th place, and Justin Upton had four hits for the first time with the Angels.

Daniel Palka and Jose Abreu each hit two home runs for the White Sox, who matched their season high with six homers. Avisail Garcia and Nicky Delmonico also went deep.

Nick Tropeano (4-5) won at home for the first time since May 18, 2016, allowing five runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with a season-high seven strikeouts.

Dylan Covey (4-6) lost for the fourth time in five starts, giving up six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed Calhoun's eighth career leadoff homer, his first this year.

Kinsler hit a tiebreaking home run in the fourth for a 3-2 lead, and Andrelton Simmons hit a two-run triple later in the inning that became a Little League home run as three runs scored. The ball rolled past center fielder Leury Garcia to the warning track, and Simmons came home when shortstop Tim Anderson's relay throw went 30 feet up the first-base line for an error.

Avisail Garcia and Palka homered on consecutive pitches in the bottom half, and Delmonico's drive off the screen attached to the right-field foul pole later in the inning cut Chicago's deficit to 6-5.

SWIPING

Mike Trout of the Angels reached 20 stolen bases for the third straight season and fifth time overall. Darryl Strawberry is the only other player with five seasons of 25 homers and 20 steals by age 26.

BYE

Los Angeles RHP Oliver Drake was claimed off waivers by Toronto.

ILL UMP

Plate umpire Gerry Davis left after the sixth inning because of dizziness and was replaced calling balls and strikes by second base umpire Pat Hoberg,

TRADE FRONT

Chicago traded RHP Joakim Soria to Milwaukee for a pair of pitching prospects, LHP Kodi Medeiros and RHP Wilber Perez. The 34-year-old Soria was 0-3 with a 2.56 ERA and 16 saves in 40 appearances for the White Sox this season. As part of the trade, Chicago will send Milwaukee $1,064,516 to cover part of the $4,145,161 remaining in the guaranteed portion of Soria's $25 million, three-year contract.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (4-8, 4.13 ERA) has lost three straight starts heading into Friday's game against visiting Toronto.

Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney (6-6, 3.66) has won four consecutive home starts ahead of Friday's outing against Seattle. Heaney is 0-2 against the Mariners this season, allowing seven earned runs in 14 innings.

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