Cabrera, White Sox grab needed 3-2 win over Royals
We're barely past the one-quarter mark of a very long season, and it would be foolish to put too much emphasis on one game.
So … let's do it anyway.
After losing the first two games of the series to the Kansas City Royals - who have won the AL Central in each of the past two years while making consecutive trips to the World Series and claiming the championship last year - the Chicago White Sox needed one Sunday.
With a big crowd of 34,526 at U.S. Cellular Field, the Sox really needed to beat the Royals and right a ship that has been slowly sinking the past 10 games.
"You always have that feeling of urgency because the season's long and you want to get it going in the right direction," manager Robin Ventura said before the game. "But the season's so long you can't sit there and try to force it."
The White Sox's offense was clearly trying to force things in the first two games against Kansas City, and the net result was a paltry 2 combined runs.
With slumping slugger Jose Abreu on the bench Sunday, the Sox's bats still were in snooze mode, but a clutch hit by Melky Cabrera was just enough to produce a 3-2 win.
"It was big," said Todd Frazier, who provided the first run with a home run in the fourth inning. "Instead of taking three games from us, they only got one out of us. We salvaged that. They went up 1-0, we tied it up, we got the crowd into it, and it was a good time for Chicago and a good win for us today.
"Hopefully we can keep tacking on some more runs because we still left a couple out there today that we could have easily gotten. We're still focused and determined to get those in."
After Frazier hit his 13th homer of the season in the fourth inning off K.C. starter Yordano Ventura (4-3), the White Sox kept the pressure on in the fifth.
Alex Avila led off the inning with a walk and Austin Jackson singled before Adam Eaton lined out to star center fielder Lorenzo Cain and Jimmy Rollins grounded out to second baseman Omar Infante, moving Avila and Jackson up a base.
That brought Frazier to the plate, but Yordano Ventura wanted no part of him and issued a four-pitch walk.
Cabrera followed Frazier, and he blistered an 0-2 quick-pitch fastball to center field to score Avila and Jackson to put the Sox in front for good.
"I found a good pitch to hit," Cabrera said through a translator. "It was a very good pitch and I hit it very well. We won the game. We have to also thank (Carlos) Rodon because he pitched a very good game for us. It was a needed game for us. We needed to win this game."
Winning for the first time since April 13, Rodon (2-4) went 6⅔ innings and allowed 2 runs on 8 hits.
"Fastball command was good," Rodon said. "A couple of sliders. They were swinging early, but it's a good hitting team. They got 8 hits and we held them to 2 runs. It just happened for me today."
David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his 11th save, but he felt dizzy after throwing his first pitch to Kendrys Morales, the Royals' final hitter.
After being checked out by trainer Herm Schneider, Robertson stayed in the game and struck out Morales.
"I threw a pitch and for some reason I got a little dizzy," Robertson said. "I just couldn't quite focus on the plate, so I needed to take a minute or so to get my head back.
"I think I just jerked my head a little too much or something and just kind of got dizzy for a second and needed to catch my breath and make sure I was going to be able to throw it in the strike zone."
White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet today; Comcast SportsNet Plus Tuesday; WGN Wednesday
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Pitching matchups: The White Sox's Mat Latos (5-1) vs. Mike Clevinger (0-0) Game 1 today at 4:10 p.m.; Erik Johnson (0-1) vs. Cody Anderson (0-3) Game 2; Chris Sale (9-0) vs. Josh Tomlin (6-0) Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.; Jose Quintana (5-3) vs. Corey Kluber (3-5) Wednesday at 1:10 p.m.
At a glance: The White Sox and Indians each won at game at the Cell in early April. Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader makes up for an April 10 rainout. Latos is 1-1 with a 7.84 ERA in his last 4 starts. In his first 4 starts of the season, the right-hander was 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA. Clevinger and Anderson have a combined 7.82 ERA, which should be good news to the Sox's scuffling offense. After winning five in a row, the Indians lost to the Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday and come in 2½ games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. Francisco Lindor leads Cleveland with a .325 batting average and .383 on-base percentage. The Sox are 8-3 vs. division opponents. Adam Eaton has a nine-game hitting streak.
Next: Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, Thursday-Sunday
- Scot Gregor