CHICAGO (AP) - The wind blowing in posed a challenge to some hitters. Not Mike Trout.
Trout homered twice and drove in five runs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Chicago White Sox 12-3 on Saturday night.
Trout’s 5-for-5 performance matched his career high for hits in a game and raised his batting average to .314.
“The two balls he hit were killed,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “The wind was pushing them back. It shows you how strong Mike is. Great at-bats.”
David Fletcher, Shohei Ohtani and Andrelton Simmons had two hits each for the Angels, who have won four of five.
Ohtani hit a bases-clearing triple and scored on one of Thyago Vieira’s three wild pitches in a six-run ninth inning.
Yolmer Sanchez and Kevan Smith each had two hits for the White Sox, who lost their fourth straight.
Trout hit a full-count, two-run homer to center field with one out in the first inning. Justin Upton added an RBI single to make it 3-0.
Trout smacked another full-count homer off White Sox starter James Shields - a three-run shot for his 33rd home run of the season - in the third, extending the lead to 6-1. He has 14 career multi-home run games and four this season. His most recent was July 25, against the White Sox.
“I knew he was going to have a big game today, something about his swag today and it made me realize again how good of a player he is,” Ohtani said through a translator.
Trout last had five hits May 26 at the Yankees, and drove in five RBIs in a game Sept. 17, 2015, against Minnesota.
“He seems to get me quite often, unfortunately,” Shields said. “He’s one of the best hitters in the game, if not the best hitter, so can’t really do that to that guy.”
Six of Trout’s nine career hits against Shields have been home runs.
“He’s been a great pitcher,” Trout said. “We compete against each other. It’s fun. Just not missing pitches. I can’t tell you the reason. Just getting a pitch to hit and just not missing.”
In his other at-bats, Trout singled.
“Couple balls they hit were hit pretty well. They just died,” Trout said about the wind. “It was weird. It was swirling the whole night.”
Matt Shoemaker (2-0) gave up three runs and seven hits for the Angels in his second start since coming off the disabled list and third overall start this season. He has allowed six runs in 15 2/3 innings. Shoemaker missed 134 games after his season debut due to a right forearm strain.
Four relievers combined to throw four one-hit innings.
Shields (6-16) allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. It was his shortest outing since July 25.
Yoan Moncada and Sanchez hit back-to-back doubles in the first to pull the White Sox within two.
Smith’s double in the fourth cut the lead to 6-3.
OHTANI UPDATE
Ohtani has a right thigh contusion after colliding with Vieira when he scored. He said he is fine and will be able to play Sunday.
MAKING MOVES
The White Sox placed right-hander Michael Kopech on the 60-day disabled list Saturday after learning Friday he will likely need Tommy John surgery and miss next season. The team purchased the contract of right-hander Rob Scahill, who was 3-4 with a 5.64 ERA in 52 relief appearances at Triple-A Charlotte.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: 1B Jose Abreu (testicular surgery) will possibly return to the lineup Monday at Kansas City, manager Rick Renteria said. Abreu and LF Leury Garcia (strained hamstring) took live batting practice Saturday. Garcia is a little further away from a return, Renteria said. .RHP Nate Jones (pronator muscle strain) looked good throwing Saturday, Renteria said. Jones will take a day or two off and possibly throw in another simulated game before being activated.
WELCOME
Joe Hudson made his major league debut with the Angels. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
UP NEXT
LHP Andrew Heaney (8-9, 4.16 ERA) is set to start for the Angels in the series finale Sunday against the White Sox, and RHP Reynaldo Lopez (5-9, 4.37). Heaney is 1-6 with a 5.02 ERA on the road this season, but 0-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against Chicago. Lopez has not earned a home victory since June 26.
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