Sale becomes majors' first 7-game winner
CHICAGO (AP) - Todd Frazier doubled and homered in support of Chris Sale, who survived a rocky start to become the first seven-game winner in the majors, as the Chicago White Sox rallied for a 7-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.
After a two-run, 36-pitch first inning, Sale (7-0) settled down to retire 19 of the next 20 batters. In seven innings, the left-hander allowed three hits and a walk. He struck out nine, five on a called strike three.
The victory was Sale's eighth in 13 decisions against the Twins. He entered the game with a career 4.15 ERA against Minnesota, the highest of any American League opponent.
Matt Albers and Zach Duke mopped up, as Chicago improved to 12-1 in games started by Sale or Jose Quintana this season.
The White Sox pushed over the game-winner against Ervin Santana (0-2) in the fourth inning. Austin Jackson walked with the bases loaded to score Dionor Navarro, who had doubled for the second of his three hits.
Navarro cut the deficit to 2-1 on a run-scoring double in the second.
In 3 1/3 innings, Santana gave up three runs, seven hits and three walks. He struck out four.
Frazier tied the score at 2-all in the third, when he slammed an 0-2 fastball over the fence in left field. The homer was his first hit in 21 at-bats this month.
Frazier added an RBI double in the seventh, when Chicago scored three runs off reliever Ryan Pressly.
One inning later, Jose Abreu doubled for the final run.
After two outs in the first, five consecutive Twins reached base for an early lead.
Miguel Sano triggered the rally with a single, his fifth career hit against Sale in six at-bats. Trevor Plouffe followed with a ground-rule double before Byung Ho Park was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Oswaldo Arcia coaxed a walk to score one run, then Jorge Polanco was struck by a pitch for another.
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
One night after both benches emptied in the eighth inning, there was no evidence of bad blood.
"It's over for me," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said before the game. "We're here to play."
"I don't expect anything more to happen," agreed Chicago counterpart Robin Ventura, the only person to be ejected the previous night.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Park (bruised foot) left the game in the first and C Kurt Suzuki (neck tightness) departed in the fifth. . Molitor was uncertain if SS Eduardo Escobar (strained groin) would need more than 15 days to recover after his move to the DL on Saturday. . 2B Brian Dozier (right hamstring) was held out a second straight game.
White Sox: C Alex Avila (strained hamstring) went 0 for 3 with two walks and caught seven innings in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Charlotte. . SS Jimmy Rollins was under the weather and did not play but was expected to return Sunday. INF Tyler Saladino took his place.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will send RHP Tyler Duffy (0-1, 1.74) to the mound in the series finale Sunday. As a rookie last season, he started one game against Chicago but did not figure in the decision.
White Sox: Quintana (4-1, 1.40) will enter the game with a three-game winning streak. In his last three starts, the left-hander yielded one earned run in 21 innings.