Chicago White Sox storm back, win in 12 innings
The Chicago White Sox know what it feels like to blow a big lead.
In a May 28 game at Kansas City, the Sox led the Royals 7-1 in the ninth inning and lost 8-7.
The White Sox got some redemption Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Trailing the Detroit Tigers 7-0 following a second straight rough outing from new starter James Shields, the Sox stuck with it and rallied for a 10-9 win in 12 innings.
J.B. Shuck led off the 12th with a double against Anibal Sanchez, advanced to third on a perfect bunt by Tim Anderson, and scored the deciding run when Adam Eaton bounced a single up the middle.
"We battled back," Eaton said. "We didn't give up. We've got to get propelled some way, and I think games like this definitely do that."
With Detroit holding a 9-7 lead in the ninth, the White Sox scored a pair of runs off closer Francisco Rodriguez to send the game into extra innings.
With two outs, Brett Lawrie and Avisail Garcia came through with consecutive RBI singles.
Earlier in the game, Jose Abreu hit a 2-run homer and run-scoring single to start the comeback.
"We had some good at-bats, some really good at-bats," said bench coach Rick Renteria, who took over in the seventh inning after manager Robin Ventura was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. "We kept the line moving. Great team effort."
Shields, acquired in a June 4 trade from the Padres, was rocked for 7 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks in 2-plus innings in a loss to the Nationals last Wednesday.
In his second start for the White Sox, the 34-year-old righty allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 8 hits while making a bad throw in the first three innings.
In the fourth, Shields managed to wiggle out of a bases-loaded jam and after retiring Detroit in order in the fifth inning, he exited the mound to applause from the crowd.
Defending Ventura:
In the final year of his contract and managing another disappointing team, Robin Ventura's job status is a hot topic again.
As he has done in the past, Adam Eaton put the blame on the White Sox's 25-man roster.
"He's his own manager," Eaton said. "He's done a heck of a job for us putting us in a position to win. As players, we haven't really came through here recently. And I think it all really boils down to player performance. It has nothing to do with him. He puts us in the best position to win. It's our job to go out and produce and when we don't it looks bad on him."
Ventura was ejected by home-plate umpire Mark Carlson in the seventh inning after reliever Matt Albers' close pitch to Miguel Cabrera was called a ball.