“Hopefully,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia explained before the game, “Shohei in the second hole will create offense for the middle of our lineup.”
The rookie’s electric, 446-foot homer in the fifth inning cleared the bases in front of Mike Trout and helped lift the Angels to a badly needed 11-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
The Angels had opened their latest homestand by losing four of five games, the two most recent defeats coming against an opponent that hasn’t been within 10 games of .500 since April.
In those four losses, the Angels batted .