Streaking White Sox climb out of early hole
Starting pitcher Zach Stewart put the White Sox in a big hole Tuesday night, serving up a 3-run homer to Jason Kubel in the fourth inning.
Not to worry.
It looks like the Sox are finally on that streak they’ve been searching for all season, and Alejandro De Aza tied the score with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the fourth.
The Twins took a 6-3 lead in the fifth, but the White Sox bailed out Stewart once again with 5 runs in the bottom of the inning.
That ended the scoring, and the Sox’ 8-6 win was their fifth straight. They also kept pace with the Tigers and still trail the AL Central leaders by 5 games.
“I wasn’t real happy with it,” Stewart said after allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 4⅔ innings. “I just didn’t feel like I pitched very good and we did a great job battling back. They helped pick me up and we got a win, which is nice.”
De Aza continued to excel for the White Sox, knocking in 4 runs.
“I feel great,” the right fielder said. “Thank God that I’m playing. I try to just play the game and don’t do too much. Let the game dictate everything.”
The bullpen also bailed out Stewart, and Will Ohman, Jason Frasor, Chris Sale and Sergio Santos combined to pitch 4⅓ scoreless innings.
Sox relievers have a 1.81 ERA over the last 14 games.
“You can’t say enough,” Santos said. “Everyone in our bullpen can be a closer and throw the ninth. Sale’s done a great job, (Matt) Thornton, Frasor, (Jesse) Crain, Will and even (Josh) Kinney when he comes in. We feel that’s our strong point. We take pride in our bullpen, we take pride in holding leads and sustaining leads and we’re kind of going on all cylinders now.”
Dual rehabs:
Catcher A.J. Pierzynski (fractured left wrist) and starting pitcher Phil Humber (facial contusion) both played for Class AAA Charlotte on Tuesday night.
Pierzynski was 0-for-3. He is scheduled to be Charlotte’s designated hitter Wednesday and catch Thursday before coming off the disabled list and rejoining the White Sox on Friday in Detroit.
“I felt as good as can be expected out there and I got to catch Phil,” Pierzynski said. “Everything checked out fine. Always something in there but very manageable. The training staff did a great job getting the inflammation out and getting me ready.”
Humber, who was hit above the right eye by a Kosuke Fukudome line drive during an Aug. 18 start against the Indians, pitched 5 innings for Charlotte and allowed 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out five.
“It went all right,” said Humber, who rejoins the Sox on Wednesday. “I gave up some runs and I’m not too happy about that. But I was trying to knock the rust off and get back in the swing of things. I felt pretty good, especially for the first two or three innings. The ball was coming out of my hand good. It’s just that everything was up and I didn’t have too much of a feel for my curveball.”
Humber was hit in the back by a drive off the bat of Norfolk’s Adam Donachie in the second inning but he stayed in the game.