Rays Top Sale, White Sox In 2-1 Win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer off Chris Sale in the seventh inning, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox Sunday for a three-game sweep.
Sale (6-3) struck out 12, walked three and hit a batter over 6 2-3 innings. He became the first pitcher since Boston's Pedro Martinez in 2001 to strikeout 12 or more in four straight starts. The left-allowed two runs and three hits during a 125-pitch outing.
After Steven Souza Jr. opened the seventh with a walk, Cabrera hit a high fly into the left-field seats off Sale to make it 2-1. It was Cabrera's third homer this season, and first since May 19. He has just two extra-base hits over his last 19 games.
C.J. Riefenhauser (1-0) threw a scoreless seventh to get his first major league win. After Steve Geltz pitched the eighth, Kevin Jepsen got the final three outs for his fifth save.
Tampa Bay (35-29) has won 11 of 15 to move a season-high six-games over. 500.
Gordon Beckham, mired in an 0-for-21 slide, doubled off Nathan Karns and scored on Carlos Sanchez's single to put the White Sox up 1-0 in the second.
Karns gave up one run, seven hits, one walk and struck out eight in six innings. Chicago had a runner in scoring position in each of the right-hander's six innings, but failed to score in five of them.
Sale worked out of two-on jams in the first and third, striking out Rays slugger Evan Longoria in both innings. He has struck out 10 or more in a franchise-best five consecutive starts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (left oblique) played catch for the first time in a week. ... LHP Drew Smyly (left labrum tear) will play catch for the second time Monday. ... LHP Matt Moore (elbow surgery) will make his third rehab start Monday for Class A Charlotte.
UP NEXT
White Sox: Rookie LHP Carlos Rodon (2-0) will face LHP Francisco Liriano (3-5) in Monday night's game at Pittsburgh. Chicago is 17-9 all-time against the Pirates, winning eight of the last nine meetings.
Rays: RHP Erasmo Ramirez (5-2), who has won five of his last six starts, and Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (4-3) are Monday night's starters.
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