Angels and White Sox play to 4-4 tie in exhibition opener
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TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Angels opened the exhibition season Thursday with a 4-4 tie against the Chicago White Sox in Tempe Diablo Stadium, a game in which catcher Mike Napoli hit the Angels’ first home run of the spring, a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning.
Joel Pineiro, who signed a two-year, $16-million deal with the Angels this winter, allowed one run and three hits in two innings, striking out two and walking one, and the right-hander showed heavy action on his sinker, inducing five ground balls.
‘He threw some bowling balls up there,’ Manager Mike Scioscia said. ‘He got all ground balls.’
The Angels had only six hits, including Howie Kendrick’s double to deep center in the second inning and Juan Rivera’s RBI single in the third.
‘We were in good hitting counts all day, and though we didn’t take advantage of all of them because we’re not locked in, we hit some balls hard,’ Scioscia said. ‘For the first day, we did a good job.’
Brian Stokes, the right-handed reliever acquired from the New York Mets for Gary Matthews Jr., threw two scoreless, hitless innings, walking two and striking out one. Stokes, a former starter in the minor leagues, is expected to be the team’s long reliever.
‘His stuff was coming out of his hand really hot,’ Scioscia said. ‘He’s going to be important to us this year. He has some length, and he has a power arm.’
White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski’s two-run home run off Angels right-hander Anthony Ortega capped a three-run fifth inning that gave Chicago a 4-2 lead. The first run of the inning came on Angels shortstop Erick Aybar’s fielding error.
But the Angels tied the score in the bottom of the eighth inning on Hank Conger’s sacrifice fly and Freddy Sandoval’s run-scoring single.
Conger, whose career has been slowed by shoulder injuries, also made a fine throw to second to nail a baserunner in the top of the ninth. Conger was a first-round pick out of Huntington Beach High School in 2005.
‘This kid is really starting to put it together on the defensive side,’ Scioscia said. ‘From where he was a few years ago to where he is now, we’re excited to see the jump he’s made defensively. He has the tools, but he’s starting to put it together.’
-- Mike DiGiovanna