Ohtani drives in five as Angels hold off White Sox

Shohei Ohtani had three hits and five RBIs - including a three-run home run - to power the visiting Los Angeles Angels to an 8-7 victory against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Los Angeles pitching struck out 13 Chicago batters. Hansel Robles fanned one in a perfect ninth to earn his 20th save, helping the Angels hold on after leading 7-2 through 5 ½ innings.

Andrew Heaney improved to 4-4 with six innings of four-run ball with zero walks and eight strikeouts.

Batting cleanup, Ohtani smacked a two-run double just four batters into the game, sending the first pitch he saw from White Sox right-hander Dylan Covey into left field.

Covey recovered to strike out the next two hitters and also retired the first two Angels in the second, but labored overall, needing 60 pitches to record six outs.

He was unable to escape the third inning, as the Angels erupted for five runs to take a 7-2 lead. Ohtani struck for a three-run, opposite field home run with no outs to open the rally, but Chicago control issues played an equal part. Covey issued two walks and uncorked two wild pitches before leaving with two outs in the third.

Reliever Carson Fulmer fared no better, however, issuing a bases-loaded walk before throwing a wild pitch that allowed another Angel to score. All the runs were credited to Covey (1-8), who scattered seven runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

Chicago tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the first on a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Jose Abreu and an RBI double off the bat of James McCann. Abreu established a new single-season career high with the RBI, his 108th.

After falling behind in the third, Chicago drew closer with two runs in the fifth, courtesy of a Tim Anderson RBI double and Yoan Moncada RBI single.

Angels catcher Kevan Smith smacked a solo home run against his former team in the seventh to put the Angels ahead 8-4. Chicago responded in the bottom half, as a three-run home run from Abreu, his club-leading 30th, drew the White Sox to within 8-7.

Moncada led the White Sox with three hits, while Anderson had two.

Albert Pujols and Smith had two hits for the Angels. Angels center fielder Mike Trout was out of the lineup with right toe discomfort and was intentionally walked while pinch-hitting in the eighth.

--Field Level Media