Angels struggle at the plate with no Mike Trout in loss to White Sox
CHICAGO — With AL batting leader Tim Anderson getting a day off, rookie Danny Mendick took advantage of a chance to fill in at shortstop.
Mendick hit his first career home run, Jose Abreu got his 31st of the season, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 on Sunday.
“That’s what you ask for, right? That’s what you work for,” said Mendick, whose home run landed in the home bullpen. He planned to give the baseball to his parents.
Mendick, Matt Skole and James McCann had two hits apiece for the White Sox, who avoided a three-game sweep.
Michael Hermosillo had two hits in the ninth spot for the Angels, who finished with five hits without injured Mike Trout and have lost 17 of their last 22 road games.
The Angels extended the contract of Mike Trout with the intent to build a winning franchise around him, but GM Billy Eppler is running out of time to do so.
Mendick, who made his major league debut Tuesday, hit a solo shot in the fifth to give the White Sox a 3-1 lead. He started in place of Anderson, who began the day leading the AL with a .334 average.
“It wasn’t the easiest road,” Mendick said of his career. “I wasn’t a first-rounder, didn’t have a big name. Being able to do it, I think everyone really likes it and enjoys to see it.”
Yolmer Sanchez had an RBI single in the sixth and Ryan Cordell added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to extend the lead.
Josh Osich (2-0) threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the victory. He combined with two other relievers to limit the Angels to one hit in 5 2/3 shutout innings. Right fielder Cordell fell into the net making a catch in the ninth.
Los Angeles used six relievers.
Abreu hit a solo homer an estimated 462 feet to put the White Sox ahead in the third. His career-high 112 RBIs lead the AL.
Jaime Barria (4-8) allowed both home runs in 4 1/3 innings for the Angels and hasn’t won since July 24.
Shohei Ohtani singled to drive in the Angels’ run in the first. He is 12 for 28 with nine RBIs in seven games against the White Sox this season. He went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts after going 3 for 5 with a career-high five RBIs on Saturday.
McCann’s RBI single tied it at 1 in the first. Opener Noe Ramirez recorded just two outs.
The Angels left the bases loaded in the first and second innings.
Dylan Cease allowed a run and struck out four but walked five and threw 88 pitches in 3 1/3 innings for the White Sox, who had lost nine of 11.
“We certainly had our chances against Cease early on,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said.
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