Saturday, August 24, 2013
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Sale struggles as White Sox lose 11-5 to Rangers

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[August 24, 2013]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Chris Sale was so upset that he slammed his glove on the dugout bench, and then jawed with plate umpire Jerry Layne.

It only made Chicago's ace feel even worse.

Sale allowed a career-high four home runs in seven innings and the White Sox lost 11-5 to the Texas Rangers on Friday night, ending a season-high six-game winning streak.

Sale was charged with eight runs, matching a season high, and eight hits. But he was particularly upset about his interaction with Layne.

"All he was trying to do was help me out and calm me down," he said. "I said some things to him that I wish I can take back, I wish I didn't say because he is one of the good ones. I respect him a lot."

Ian Kinsler raced around the bases for a strange inside-the-park homer and Adam Rosales had a conventional two-run shot, helping AL West-leading Texas (75-53) win for the 19th time in 23 games to move a season-high 22 games over .500. Jeff Baker and pinch hitter Mitch Moreland each had a two-run shot, and Adrian Beltre belted a solo drive.

"When you don't do your best and quite honestly get your rear end kicked around for seven innings you're going to get frustrated and I was," Sale said.

A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios each had a nice night in their return to U.S. Cellular Field for the first time since leaving the White Sox. Pierzynski, who signed with Texas as a free agent in the offseason, went 1 for 4 with a sacrifice fly. Rios, who was traded to the Rangers on Aug. 9, had two hits and scored two runs.

Pierzynski received a standing ovation when he was introduced in the first inning.

"It was hard to keep my emotions in check, especially the first couple innings," he said. "It's just weird to go out there, as long as I was on the other side. ... Just to see the field from a different perspective is just odd. I don't know how to explain it."

But the biggest break went to Kinsler, who hit a line drive in the third that rolled into a drainage track under the left-field wall. By the time Dayan Viciedo was able to find the ball, Kinsler was on his way to the plate for his 11th homer and a 5-3 Rangers lead.

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White Sox manager Robin Ventura came out to argue the play and was ejected. Ventura said umpire Greg Gibson told him that Viciedo saw the ball.

"I figured since he got on his hands and knees trying to go get it you would think it would be lodged underneath there pretty good that they would rule a double but he didn't," Ventura said. "For me, usually when a guy is crawling on his hands and knees and he is looking for help it would make sense."

Baker and Rosales connected in the second inning, powering Texas to a 4-0 lead. Rosales added a sacrifice fly in the fourth that made it 6-3.

Martin Perez (7-3) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings for the Rangers, who have won eight of their last nine road games to improve to 37-26 away from home. Perez also hurt himself with a wild pitch and a balk.

Viciedo had a two-run single in the second and eventually came around on Gordon Beckham's base hit, pulling the White Sox within one. But that was as close as it would get.

Beltre hit his 27th homer in the fifth and Kinsler singled in a run in the seventh to give the Rangers an 8-4 lead.

NOTES: It was the first time in Rangers history that they had a pinch-hit and inside-the-park home run in the same game. ... Chicago left eight runners on base, to only four for Texas. ... Saturday is the seventh Civil Rights Game. Texas RHP Yu Darvish (12-5, 2.68 ERA) starts against Chicago LHP Hector Santiago (4-7, 3.27 ERA). . Attendance was 31,891.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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