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Giolito helps White Sox snap eight-game losing streak

Lucas Giolito needed one. So did the Chicago White Sox.

Heading into Game 2 of Friday's doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics, Giolito had the highest ERA (7.19) among qualified major-league starters.

The Sox had an eight-game losing streak, and their 24-50 record was the third worst in baseball.

But after kicking the ball around during an 11-2 loss to the A's in Game 1, the White Sox bounced back with a 6-4 win in the nightcap.

"When both sides of it go well, everything looks pretty good," manager Rick Renteria said. "There are times when one side's a little off from the other and you wonder what the heck's going on. Today in that second game, I thought they played a very decent ballgame."

It started with Giolito.

The White Sox's starter matched his career high with 7 innings and he hit a season high with 8 strikeouts while giving up 4 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks.

"I was finally commanding the fastball the way I should," Giolito said. "Definitely the best I felt out there this year, for sure. The velocity was up a tick. I just felt right, felt in sync. Just competed from there."

Clinging to a 5-4 lead with Oakland runners on first and third with no outs in the eighth inning, Xavier Cedeno came out of the Sox's bullpen and retired three straight hitters to get out of the jam.

Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth to record his seventh straight save.

In Game 1, second baseman Yoan Moncada made 2 errors and left fielder Leury Garcia also made a fielding miscue in his first game back from the disabled list.

The Sox's porous play in the field proved costly for starting pitcher James Shields, who allowed 8 runs in 4⅔ innings. Only 2 of the runs were earned.

"At the end of the day, I can't control that," Shields said. "What I can control is how I pitch out there and making my pitches. I didn't do my job of getting the outs after we made some miscues, and I've got to do a better job of that."

Garcias off DL:

Back in the White Sox's lineup Friday for the first time in two months, Avisail Garcia said he was dealing with two injuries during his lengthy stint on the disabled list.

In an April 23 game against Seattle, Garcia pulled his right hamstring running to first base. When he was rehabbing the hamstring, Garcia hurt his right knee.

"I don't like to get hurt," said Garcia, who batted second for the Sox and played right field in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader against Oakland. "I like to play every single day. I like to compete. I like to help my team.

"My knee is good," Garcia continued. "My hamstring is good. I have no pain in my body right now. I feel great. I just have to try to stay healthy and try to do my best every single day."

Leury Garcia was also activated off the DL after being sidelined for a month with a sprained left knee.

The Sox cleared two roster spots by designating outfielder Trayce Thompson for assignment and optioning infielder Jose Rondon to Class AAA Charlotte.

Thompson played in 51 games with the White Sox after being acquired in an April 19 trade from Oakland for cash considerations. He batted .116 with 3 home runs and 9

Moving day:

The White Sox promoted 16 minor-league players on Thursday, highlighted by Eloy Jimenez going from Class AA Birmingham to AAA Charlotte.

Another top outfield prospect, Luis Robert, was bumped up from low Class A Kannapolis to high A Winston-Salem.

In his first game with Winston-Salem, Robert was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI and a stolen base. On Friday night, he was 2-for-4 with a walk. Robert missed almost three months after injuring his thumb sliding into second base during a March 7 spring training game against the Reds. The 20-year-old center fielder actually stayed in the game after the injury and hit a game-winning grand slam.

Sox manager Rick Renteria still remembers the Cactus League at-bat from Robert.

"He made an adjustment on a breaking ball, which is pretty unique for a young person," Renteria said. "He's very gifted. I expect that as he continues to play, he's one of those young men that has the chance, no guarantee, of moving along quickly."

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