White Sox rally past Angels with late surge

A late offensive surge powered the Chicago White Sox to an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night, highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas.

The decisive moment came during a seven-run seventh inning, as Chicago erased a deficit and capitalized on continued struggles from the Angels’ bullpen. Murakami’s three-run homer — his major league-leading 12th of the season — tied the game before Vargas followed with a solo shot to keep the momentum going.

Despite the power display, White Sox manager Will Venable emphasized that the team is also focused on manufacturing runs in other ways. “We’ve been talking about bunting as a weapon starting in spring training and how important that was going to be for guys in certain spots,” Venable said. “Some more than others. But that’s got to be part of our game as we’re trying to find ways to score runs.”

The Angels, meanwhile, continue to struggle late in games. The loss marked their fourth straight defeat and eighth in their last nine outings, with bullpen issues once again proving costly. Left-hander Drew Pomeranz allowed a key home run in the seventh inning for the second consecutive game after surrendering a late blast in Sunday’s loss to Kansas City.

Murakami praised the chemistry within the White Sox clubhouse following the win. “We mingle together a lot, so I’m just glad that he’s a teammate and I’m glad to have him here,” he said through a translator.

Los Angeles showed signs of offensive life, recording 14 hits compared to Chicago’s nine. Mike Trout, Vaughn Grissom, Nolan Schanuel, and Bryce Teodosio each collected two hits, helping the Angels stay competitive despite the loss.

Grissom, who started at second base against left-hander Anthony Kay, said he hopes to earn more consistent playing time. “It’s not my decision,” he said, “but that would be sick. As a ballplayer, you want to be in there every single day. So it’s definitely something that I’d love, but I do whatever helps the team win.”

The series continues Tuesday with a high-profile pitching matchup. Chicago will send right-hander Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01 ERA) to the mound, while the Angels counter with Jose Soriano (5-0, 0.24 ERA).

Martin has been sharp throughout April, posting a 1.37 ERA across four starts, while Soriano has been even more dominant, allowing just one run over 25 2/3 innings this month.

“He’s got serious stuff,” Schanuel said of Soriano. “I feel bad for hitters who have to go face him three or four times in a game. I saw it while standing in there during spring training. He’s got a Wiffle ball. I’ve never seen a baseball move that much.”

Soriano enters the matchup with a perfect 0.00 ERA in two career appearances against Chicago, while Martin has a 3.07 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles.

With momentum on their side, the White Sox will look to build on Monday’s comeback as they aim to secure the series victory at home.