CHICAGO (AP) — Yoán Moncada hit an RBI single against his former team in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels blanked the Chicago White Sox 1-0 on Saturday.
Jorge Soler walked with two outs in the eighth and advanced to third on Mike Clevinger’s wild pitch. Catcher Matt Thaiss had trouble locating the ball as Soler scampered around the bases.
Moncada then drove in Soler with a grounder back up the middle that went off Clevinger (0-1) for an infield single. Moncada played for the White Sox for the previous eight seasons before signing with the Angels in free agency.
Los Angeles right-hander José Soriano (1-0) pitched seven innings of two-hit ball. He struck out five and walked two.
Soriano made 20 starts and two relief appearances for Los Angeles last year, going 6-7 with a 3.42 ERA. He was shut down in August because of right arm fatigue.
Ben Joyce worked the eighth and Kenley Jansen earned his first save of the season, finishing a two-hitter.
Angels center fielder Jo Adell left in the fifth after legging out an infield hit. The team said he had left hip tightness.
Jonathan Cannon pitched five innings of four-hit ball for Chicago. He struck out five and walked three.
Key moment
Jansen struck out Miguel Vargas and Luis Robert Jr. in the ninth before walking Andrew Benintendi. Andrew Vaughn then bounced to shortstop for the final out.
It was Jansen’s 448th career save.
Key stat
Benintendi and Brooks Baldwin had the only hits for Chicago.
Up next
The teams conclude their season-opening series Sunday. Jack Kochanowicz pitches for the Angels, and Davis Martin starts for the White Sox.
___
AP MLB:
