White Sox Beat Rangers
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale is the kind of groove that is giving teams fit. The Texas Rangers were the latest to fall victim.
Sale struck out a season-high 13 in seven shutout innings, leading Chicago to a 9-2 romp over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night at Globe Life Park.
“Any time you go out there and you feel like you get in a rhythm,” Sale said, “that’s all pitching really is, is finding a groove, getting in a rhythm, just trying to, I wouldn’t say be comfortable, but find the groove and ride it as long as you can. They don’t last forever.”
Sale (5-2) posted his 22nd career game with double-figure strikeouts, extending his franchise record. He allowed three hits and two walks in 112 pitches, and he fanned at least 10 for the third game in a row, a career high.
Chicago (24-27) rebounded from a 15-2 drubbing in the series opener Tuesday. The White Sox are 5-5 on their 11-game, four-city road trip that concludes with the series finale Thursday.
Sale got stronger as the game wore on. He didn’t allow a hit or baserunner after the third inning.
“He was fantastic,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “The pitch count, he was up
a little bit early, he settled in somewhat and at least got to the seventh.”
The White Sox also got a boost from Jose Abreu, who returned to the lineup as the designated hitter and drove in three runs.
Abreu missed the previous three games with an inflamed right index finger, and even though he wasn’t back at first base, he brought his bat. The 2014 All-Star went 2-for-4 and drilled his ninth home run.
“It’s nice for us to get Jose back in there,” Ventura said. “Our lineup is a lot different with him in there.”
Abreu believes the club is making progress.
“I think that we have proved during this road trip that we have a very good team,” Abreu said.
The White Sox racked up 12 hits, with eight starters getting at least one. Catcher Tyler Flowers had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh.
Texas (27-26) saw its four-game winning streak end. The Rangers were without two of their power hitters, first baseman Prince Fielder, who was rested, and outfielder Josh Hamilton, has a left hamstring injury.
After the game, the Rangers announced that Hamilton would miss up with four weeks with a Grade 2 strain. He said the hamstring had been bothersome and he felt it give after running the bases Sunday on a walk-off double against the Boston Red Sox.
“There is nothing I can do about,” Hamilton said. “All we can do is try to get better as quick as I possibly can. I’ve had success getting back pretty quick in the past, so I’ll do everything I can to do the same here.”
Texas avoided a shutout with a base-loaded walk in the eighth. Rookie third baseman Joey Gallo, who made his major league debut Tuesday, homered for the second consecutive day, a solo shot into the right field upper deck in the ninth.
Rangers starter Nick Martinez, who came into the game with a 2.03 ERA, couldn’t get out of the fourth inning.
“I don’t think Nick found the range with his breaking ball tonight,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “There were some pitches that I felt inside to right-handers that he wasn’t getting that he’s gotten before.”
The White Sox jumped out in front 6-0 in the second by battering Martinez, who left plenty of balls up over the plate. Martinez allowed six hits, including Abreu’s homer, and hit a batter in a 41-pitch inning.
“It was good to have a big inning like that,” Ventura said.
A bases-loaded, two-run single by second baseman Carlos Sanchez started the scoring. Center fielder Adam Eaton followed with a two-run double before Abreu crushed a two-run shot to straightaway center.
Abreu added an RBI single in the fourth, scoring first baseman Adam LaRoche to make it 7-0.
Martinez (4-2) was done one batter later. The seven runs allowed snapped a streak of 16 straight starts in which he gave up no more than three runs. The righty’s 3 1/3-inning stint was his shortest of the season.
