Mike Trout drew a walk. Albert Pujols was intentionally walked. And José Iglesias came to the plate with the tying and go-ahead runners on base and two outs in the eighth inning.
It felt like a gamble from Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa, giving a free pass to his old first baseman with his team clinging to a one-run lead. But it worked, with closer Liam Hendriks inducing a deep fly out to diffuse the Angels’ last true threat in an eventual 12-8 win for the White Sox on Friday night at Angel Stadium.
It took a lot for the Angels to even make it close in their second game of the season, rallying from what was once a 7-1 deficit with a three-run fourth inning (courtesy of a three-run homer by Pujols) and two-run fifth (when White Sox right fielder Adam Eaton missed a fly ball near the foul line, allowing two runs to score).