Ramirez lifts White Sox to 5-4 win over Mets
Alexei Ramirez singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after the Sox committed a costly error in the top half of the inning, and Chris Sale struck out 13 batters in eight innings to lead the White Sox over the New York Mets 5-4 on Tuesday night.
The Mets scored the tying run with two outs in the ninth on a defensive miscue. Pinch hitter Daniel Murphy hit a popup in front of the mound and third baseman Conor Gillaspie called for the ball before second baseman Gordon Beckham tried to make the catch as they nearly collided. The ball fell for an error by Beckham and David Wright scored after he had singled and stole second.
Ramirez's winning hit came with runners on the corners. Jeff Keppinger singled and Beckham reached on a fielding error by reliever LaTroy Hawkins (2-1). Keppinger moved to third when the Mets were unable to turn a double play.
Addison Reed (3-0) got the victory after blowing his third save.
Tyler Flowers homered to tie the game in the third and scored the go-ahead run on Ramirez's sacrifice fly in the fifth.
In his second major league start, New York's Zack Wheeler allowed four runs, struck out one and walked three in 5 1-3 innings. A first-round draft pick by the Giants in 2009, Wheeler threw six shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves to win his debut June 18.
Sale allowed three runs, four hits and two walks. He fell one short of his season high for strikeouts and two shy of his career high, set on May 28, 2012, against Tampa.
Sale struck out the side in the fourth and sixth innings and fanned nine through the first four frames. He retired 10 straight batters after allowing an RBI single to Josh Satin in the first inning.
The White Sox came in averaging 2.69 runs when Sale started this season — the lowest run support average in the majors. Sale remained 0-4 in June.
The Mets scored two runs in the first inning. Eric Young Jr. led off with a double, stole third and scored on a Marlon Byrd sacrifice fly. David Wright drew a walk, stole second and scored on a Josh Satin single.
The White Sox pulled to within one in the bottom of the first. Alejandro De Aza led off with a single and eventually scored on a groundout.
Flowers tied the game 2-2 with a solo homer in the third. It was his seventh homer and the first major league homer Wheeler has allowed.
Andrew Brown hit a go-ahead, leadoff homer on the first pitch from Sale in the fifth inning. Sale retired 10 straight batters and struck out four straight before the homer.
The White Sox scored two runs to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth. Gordon Beckham singled, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout. Flowers was hit by Wheeler, advanced on the wild pitch and a groundout and scored on a sac fly.
NOTES: White Sox 1B Paul Konerko was out of the lineup because of a sore back. Manager Robin Ventura said the injury recently popped up. ... The Mets optioned RHP Greg Burke to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Wheeler on the roster. ... Ramirez had committed five errors in his last 11 games entering Tuesday. His 12 errors lead the AL. ... The Mets traded OF Collin Cowgill to the Angels for minor leaguer Kyle Johnson. Cowgill batted .180 in 23 games for New York. ... White Sox RHP Jake Peavy said he hopes to start playing catch this week and throw bullpen sessions next week. He went on the disabled list June 6 for a left rib fracture. ... The game was briefly delayed in the top of the first inning when a power surge knocked out some lights as storms approached.