Sale, Garcia lead White Sox past Angels 8-2

CHICAGO (AP) Chris Sale said he really hasn't made any changes to his pitching approach. And when asked if his ace did anything differently Monday night, White Sox manager Robin Ventura replied, ''Maybe. Maybe not.''

But the results sure were better.

Sale was back in All-Star form, and Avisail Garcia homered twice to drive in four runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-2.

Tyler Flowers added a solo shot to back Sale (10-7), who rebounded with a gem after allowing 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 10 1-3 innings while losing his previous two outings. The lanky left-hander didn't allow a run - or more than one baserunner in an inning - until Johnny Giavotella drove in two with a double in the seventh.

''I'm just trying to do what I've always done,'' Sale said. ''Just throw strikes and win games, just give my team a chance to win. That's all I can do.''

Sale returned for the eighth but was replaced by Nate Jones with one out after hitting Kole Calhoun with a pitch. Sale was charged with two runs and five hits. He struck out seven.

''Pitching has a lot to do with rhythm and tempo and feel, so when you can get the combination of all three of those going you just try to ride it as long as you can,'' Sale said.

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (5-8) had thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings before Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly to the warning track drove in Adam Eaton to put Chicago ahead 1-0 in the first.

Shoemaker hadn't allowed a run in his last three starts, but was tagged for seven on nine hits in 5 2-3 innings in this one as Los Angeles dropped its seventh straight on the road.

''Sale is tough, and the first-and-foremost thing you have to do is pitch with him, and we didn't do that tonight,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ''We'll just turn the page with Shoe and hopefully he'll get back where he needs to be.''

Garcia had his third career multihomer game to reach 11 for the season, and his three-run drive was the big blow as the White Sox sent nine hitters to the plate and pulled away with a four-run sixth. The right fielder has four home runs in his last six games after connecting for just two in his previous 48.

''I'm using my top hand more. I've been working on that,'' Garcia said. ''Today, I feel a little bit better. Like I said, I come here every day and try to get better and try to get my swing back.''

Sale set the tone as he allowed no more than a single baserunner in any of the first six innings - including a 13-pitch walk to Mike Trout in the fourth.

Sale retired the Angels 1-2-3 twice, and Chris Iannetta grounded into a double play in the fifth after Giavotella's leadoff single.

The Angels failed to score while Shoemaker was on the mound for the third straight game. He won the first during his 19-inning scoreless run, but got no-decisions in the next two outings as the Angels lost 3-0 at Houston and 2-0 at home to Cleveland.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: 3B David Freese (broken right index finger) could begin a minor league rehab assignment as early as this weekend. Freese took batting practice Monday but is still 65-70 percent with his throwing, Scioscia said. Freese was hurt when Minnesota's Mike Pelfrey hit him with a pitch on July 22. ... OF Collin Cowgill (strained right wrist) could also begin a rehab stint Tuesday or Wednesday and will spend time both in the outfield and as the DH.

White Sox: Flowers, who left Sunday's game in humid Kansas City after seven innings with cramps due to dehydration, returned to the starting lineup. ''He just couldn't go any more at that point and (trainer Herm Schneider) got him fixed up and he feels good,'' Ventura said before the game.

TAKE A WALK

Sale's 13-pitch walk to Trout in the fourth was an epic struggle, both players said.

''He was bringing it, for sure,'' Trout said of Sale's fastball. ''It's always tough facing guys like him. He's good at all his pitches for strikes and he can throw them for balls, too.''

Said Sale: ''I gave him everything I had. It's a tough straw to pull right there.

''When you're up against the best, you find out what you're made of,'' Sale added. ''I walked him so I really don't know what that means for me, but it's something you look back on and realize you enjoy stuff like that.''

UP NEXT

Angels lefty Hector Santiago (7-5, 2.78 ERA) faces White Sox rookie left-hander Carlos Rodon (4-4, 5.00) on Tuesday night in the middle game of the series. Both starters have been scuffling.