Sox earn a feel-good, 4-2 win over Royals
There's a new manager in the dugout, but the White Sox's primary objective hasn't changed.
"Win," right fielder Gavin Sheets said. "That helps everything. Make Tony feel better. I know it will make everybody else feel a little bit better."
With manager Tony La Russa missing his second game while on indefinite leave with a medical issue, the Sox topped the Royals 4-2 Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field while snapping a five-game losing streak.
Solo home runs from AJ Pollock and Elvis Andrus and a solid outing from starting pitcher Lance Lynn helped the Sox cut the first-place Guardians' lead to 5 games in the AL Central.
Bench coach Miguel Cairo, who is filling in as manager, said winning is the best thing to help La Russa feel better.
"It would be a good motivation for the players, for us, to show some support for him," Cairo said. "We're going to be praying for him, I will be praying for him that everything is fine. And we've got to go out there and perform, we've got to go out there and play the way it's supposed to be played.
"He really cares about this team. He really loves the players, loves the Chicago White Sox and we've got to do this for him."
Lynn didn't allow a hit until Bobby Witt Jr. hit a 441-foot home run with one out in the fourth inning. The Sox's right-hander went 7 innings and allowed 4 hits to go with 8 strikeouts.
"Tonight was a good team win," Lynn said. "Got some runs, played good defense, that's what we've got to start doing today."
Lynn was reinstated from the Bereavement List before the game and catcher Yasmani Grandal came off the 10-day injured list and was 0-for-2 with 2 walks.
Relief pitcher Tanner Banks and catcher Carlos Perez were optioned to Class AAA Charlotte to clear roster spots.
Think spring:
The White Sox will play their first 2023 spring training game against the Padres on Feb. 25 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.
The Sox play the Cubs four times, in Glendale on March 14 and at Sloan Park in Mesa on March 10 and March 27-28.
On March 9 the White Sox play a World Baseball Classic team (TBA) at Camelback Ranch.