White Sox's bats finally wake up in 6-2 win over Indians
The numbers were embarrassing, even for a team in transition like the Chicago White Sox.
Heading into Sunday afternoon's game against the Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Sox were last in the major leagues with a .205 batting average.
They were second to last in baseball with 49 runs scored.
Not only were the White Sox shut out by the Indians Friday and Saturday, they were held to 3 hits while failing to get an extra-base hit for this first time in consecutive games since 1991.
"Everybody knows we are not in the best position right now with our offense," first baseman Jose Abreu said through an interpreter.
The White Sox did manage to switch positions Sunday, scoring 3 runs off Danny Salazar in the first inning and rolling to a 6-2 win.
"To get off to a great start just really set the tone," said Tim Anderson, who led off the first inning with a double, moved to third on Tyler Saladino's single and scored on Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly. "Set the table and make it easier for the guys behind you to feed off of that."
Cleveland was sloppy on defense, and the Sox converted 3 errors into 2 unearned runs.
"They did a nice job," manager Rick Renteria said. "They came out right out of the chute and we were able to take advantage of whatever they wanted to take advantage of. (Anderson) did a nice job getting it started and it just kind of steamrolled a little bit there in the first. Good for us."
Before scoring in the first, the White Sox went 23 innings without a run.
Sox starter Derek Holland (2-2) allowed 1 run over 6 innings to get the win. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Holland struck out Francisco Lindor to escape big trouble.
"It was awesome to see the offense take off like that today," Holland said. "I have to do my part once they do stuff like that to shut down the momentum on the other side. That's a good ballclub over there."
Injury update:
After banging his left wrist on the fence chasing a flyball Saturday night, Melky Cabrera was back in the lineup Sunday as the White Sox's designated hitter.
Jacob May moved over to left field and Leury Garcia played center.
Zach Putnam was not available Sunday after coming out of Saturday's game with a tender elbow.
"He started on medication last night," manager Rick Renteria said. "We don't have any concern about it, to be honest."
Putnam, who has allowed only 1 earned run on 2 hits while striking out 9 in 8.2 innings this season, had surgery to remove bone fragments from his elbow last August.
Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) rejoined the Sox on Sunday for a few days but the left-handed starter did not speak to the media.
"They will continue to evaluate him," Renteria said. "Evaluate him and see where he's at and make a determination as to what the next phase is with him."