Munetaka Murakami has been drilling balls over the fence easily this season, so it was no surprise to see the Chicago White Sox star smack a 429-foot homer in Monday’s series opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
The bigger shocker was Murakami’s first double in 35 major league games.
Murakami, a newcomer from Japan, will seek to continue his power show when the White Sox face the Angels on Tuesday night in the middle contest of a three-game series at Anaheim, Calif.
Murakami’s 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth inning, came in Chicago’s 6-0 victory Monday and allowed him to retain the major league lead in homers with New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
But two innings later, Murakami, a left-handed hitter, lined a bullet just inside the right-field line and made it to second base without a throw for his long-awaited initial two-bagger.
“It was my first double, obviously,” Murakami said through his translator on the Chicago Sports Network. “Turning on the base was a bit hard for me. That was kind of interesting.”
Murakami, 26, was one of many hot Chicago players as the White Sox won for the sixth time in the past seven games. Chicago has beaten the Angels four times in a span of eight days and is in third place in the American League Central, only a half-game behind Cleveland and Detroit after three consecutive 100-loss seasons.
Murakami had three hits and three runs while teammate Andrew Benintendi had four hits and an RBI.
Jarred Kelenic had three hits as Chicago out-hit the Angels 16-5. Miguel Vargas homered among two hits, and Sam Antonacci also had two hits.
“We’re putting a lot of runs on the board, and all the pitchers are doing really, really well,” Murakami said. “We just want to keep continuing the success as a team and just keep going.”
Nolan Schanuel and Travis d’Arnaud had two hits apiece for the Angels, who have lost 13 of their past 15 games.
Los Angeles has scored two or fewer runs nine times during the 15-game stretch.
“We’ve just got to trust our work,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said after the game. “There’s no mystery. We’re struggling. I mean, there’s no other way around it. Sometimes you just got to face it and believe in what you’re doing and that it’s the right thing and just keep going every single day.”
The Angels recalled left-hander Sam Aldegheri from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday, and he will try to quiet the Chicago bats on Tuesday.
Aldegheri (1-0, 5.40 ERA) made a relief appearance against the Yankees on April 16 and gave up one win in 1 2/3 innings and earned the victory.
He was optioned back to Salt Lake and is just 1-3 with a 7.77 ERA in five starts for the Bees this season.
“It always feels good to come back here and have the opportunity to play at the biggest level,” Aldegheri told reporters prior to Monday’s game. “I’m ready to do whatever the team needs of me. That’s what I’m here for.”
Aldegheri, 24, is 2-4 with a 6.35 ERA in eight appearances (five starts) over parts of three seasons with the Angels. He has never opposed the White Sox but has faced Randal Grichuk (0-for-2), who was signed by Chicago on Monday.
Right-hander Erick Fedde (0-3, 3.24 ERA) will start for Chicago on Tuesday.
Fedde received a no-decision against the Angels last Wednesday when he gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings in Chicago’s 3-2 victory in 10 innings. He served up solo homers to Mike Trout and Vaughn Grissom.
Fedde has a 1.29 ERA in two career no-decisions and one relief appearance against Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media
