Angels get complete effort in 12-4 win over Chicago White Sox

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Mike Trout had a leadoff homer and a double and scored three times, Jason Vargas gave up just two hits over 4 2/3 innings and catcher Hank Conger and third baseman Alberto Callaspo made sterling defensive plays, guiding the Angels to a 12-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in the team’s most complete effort of the spring.

“Some guys are starting to get to their 15th, 20th at-bat and they’re starting to see the ball the way they should,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’re swinging the bats well and running the bases well. So we’ve got to keep building from this.”

The Angels matched their spring high with 15 hits, including two each from Trout, Howie Kendrick and Albert Pujols.

Trout’s leadoff home run, a line shot over the left-field wall, was his first of the spring, while Kendrick’s two hits extended his spring hitting streak to 11 starts and raised his average to .485.

Kendrick also scored twice and drove in two runs, while Trout had two runs batted.

Vargas, meanwhile, struck out five and walked just one, retiring the first seven White Sox in order. He got some third-inning help from Conger and Callaspo, who made difficult plays on foul pops with Callaspo reaching over the railing into the Chicago dugout to retire Gordon Beckham.

“To be able to go out and have that secondary stuff work and get swings and misses is a pretty good indication of them not being able to stay on your fastball,” said Vargas, who gave four runs and eight hits in his previous start. “For me that’s a good sign.”

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