Cease has stellar outing for Sox, Harrison walks it off in 12
Even though it was 96 degrees when Dylan Cease threw the first pitch Tuesday night, the White Sox's bats cooled off a bit.
Averaging 7.3 runs over their last 11 games, the Sox scratched out only two in the early going against Toronto at Guaranteed Rate Field.
That was more than enough for Cease, who had no-hit stuff in his start against the Blue Jays.
Cease came out of the gates hot, striking out the side in the first inning. The right-hander didn't allow a hit until Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached on an infield single leading off the sixth.
Cease also tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts over 6 scoreless innings before exiting with 101 pitches.
That's when the game took a negative turn for the White Sox.
With Reynaldo Lopez and Joe Kelly unavailable after pitching Monday, Liam Hendriks, Aaron Bummer and Kyle Crick on the injured list and Matt Foster on the Bereavement List, Jimmy Lambert, Davis Martin and Jose Ruiz were called on to protect the 2-0 lead.
Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk hit a home run off Lambert in the seventh inning and Davis allowed 3 runs in the eighth as the Blue Jays pulled in front 4-2.
The White Sox roared back in the ninth inning, and Luis Robert's 2-run single with two outs tied the game and forced extra innings.
After both teams scored single runs in the 10th and 11th, the Sox won it 7-6 in the 12th inning on Josh Harrison's two-out RBI single.
"It was a very special win," manager Tony La Russa said after the White Sox (33-33) climbed back to the .500 mark. "It started with Cease and coming back like we did, we kept battling until we got a win. Our guys never quit. This club has my respect and admiration."
Over his last five starts, Cease has allowed 10 runs - all of them unearned. That's lowered his ERA to 2.68.
As Lance Lynn and Michael Kopech come back from knee injuries and Lucas Giolito tries to iron out some mechanical issues, the offense has been picking up the starting rotation.
Cease flipped that script Tuesday night, and he made the most of Adam Engel's RBI double in the second inning and Robert's run-scoring double in the fifth before the Sox's bullpen coughed it up.
"Against that lineup, that was an exhibition of outstanding pitching," La Russa said of Cease.
With 2 home runs and 8 RBI over his last 10 games, Danny Mendick has been one of the White Sox's many surging hitters.
Mendick was in the lineup at shortstop until Tim Anderson came off the injured list Monday.
With Yoan Moncada going back on the IL, Mendick played third base Tuesday. He can also play second and has become a key piece for the Sox.
"He's been outstanding," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said of Mendick. "He's always been a valuable player given the versatility and ability to fill in at numerous positions. But I think he's really seized this opportunity to play regularly to show what he's capable of doing."