Another Davidson home run lifts White Sox over Orioles
Matt Davidson had to be sorry to see the Baltimore Orioles go.
Ditto for the Chicago White Sox.
Davidson homered for the fourth straight game against the Orioles Thursday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field, and the Sox emerged with a 5-2 win while taking 3 of 4 from Baltimore in the series.
The first Sox player to hit home runs in four straight games since Alex Rios (April 5-9, 2013), Davidson led off the fourth inning with a 410-foot drive to left field off Orioles starter Chris Tillman.
"It proves all the hard work you've done, that it can happen," Davidson said. "I came off a bad two weeks and now four good games in a row. I know there are ups and downs, but it is pretty fun doing that."
After struggling on the White Sox's last road trip while going 3-for-23 with 12 strikeouts, Davidson was 7-for-15 with 4 homers and 8 RBI against Baltimore.
"I'm just trying to ignore everything outside and take every pitch for what it's worth and be relaxed up there, control my tension, and try to have good at-bats and put good swings on the ball," Davidson said. "Just maturing as a player. Understanding my swing a little better. We made some pretty drastic swing changes two years ago going into (20)16 and I had a lot of time to reflect on what to improve on going into last season."
With the game tied at 1 in the sixth, Melky Cabrera's 2-run single put the White Sox ahead to stay.
David Holmberg started for the Sox and allowed 1 run on 4 hits and 1 walk in 4⅓ innings.
"Everything went pretty good," Holmberg said. "I tried to keep them off the bases for the most part. They've got pretty big power all throughout the lineup. A couple guys got on there in the fifth and we did a good job of keeping them to one run there and we ended up winning the game."
With veteran starter James Shields coming off the disabled list Sunday, Holmberg is likely headed back to the Sox's bullpen.
Defending Avi:
When Avisail Garcia was ejected in the fifth inning by first-base umpire Paul Emmel, manager Rick Renteria came racing out of the dugout and was also tossed.
"It's always good when your manager has your back," Garcia said.
Seemingly always under control, Renteria unloaded on Emmel and slammed his cap to the ground before exiting the field.
"I don't think (Garcia) did anything too egregious," Renteria said. "I'm sure (Emmel) will disagree with me. But they (umpires) a tough job to do. Again, I say with all due respect to all of them, they have a very difficult job to do and they don't want people showing them up. I get all that. But I think I sit back and try to think about all the things the players are experiencing, the pressure that they're under to perform. I want people to stay in the ballgame."
Roster move:
Relief pitcher Michael Ynoa was reinstated from the disabled list before Thursday's game with against the Orioles after missing nearly two weeks with a right hip flexor strain.
After Wednesday night's game, reliever Juan Minaya was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte. Ynoa is 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA. Minaya was 1-0 with an 8.10 ERA.