Jose Abreu homered and drove in two runs, leading Lucas Giolito and the Chicago White Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.
Abreu launched a solo shot in the first inning for his 14th home run of the season but only his second this month. He also tied the game at 3 with a single in the sixth.
Abreu raised his batting average to .253. He batted just .212 with three home runs in June but seemed to find something in Seattle last weekend.
Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run for the Angels, who squandered a 3-1 lead.
Leury Garcia had a go-ahead sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in Chicago's three-run sixth. Los Angeles starter Jaime Barria (5-7) and reliever Hansel Robles combined to walk three batters and hit another with a pitch during the inning, in addition to allowing an infield single. The White Sox had just two hits during the rally.
Giolito (7-8) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings during his first career start against the Angels. The Southern California native struck out five and walked four, one intentional.
Giolito escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by getting Albert Pujols to ground into a fielder's choice.
It was Giolito's first major league start in California. He had pitched at Angel Stadium in a showcase event, but this time he did it in front of about 15 friends and family members.
Joakim Soria allowed a leadoff single to David Fletcher in the ninth and walked Mike Trout with two outs before throwing a called third strike past Justin Upton for his 15th save. Los Angeles went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Kole Calhoun had an RBI double for the Angels in the third and Trout added a sacrifice fly. Trout walked four times, one intentional.
Ohtani homered to center field in the fourth to give Los Angeles a 3-1 advantage. The two-way star from Japan has hit all eight of his long balls at home against right-handed pitchers. He is the first Angels rookie to hit his first eight homers at home.
Garcia scored on Kevan Smith's groundout in the fifth. Smith also was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth, forcing in a run.
Barria, winless since June 1, lost his sixth consecutive decision. He issued back-to-back walks in the sixth and left with a 3-2 lead before being replaced by Robles. Barria was charged with four runs and four hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out two.
LHP Carlos Rodon (2-3, 3.56 ERA) is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 13 strikeouts over his past two starts as he'll face RHP Felix Pena (1-0, 3.42) has a 4.76 ERA at home compared to 0.96 on the road this season. He'll face the White Sox for the first time.
