White Sox 9, Rangers 2

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[June 04, 2015]  ARLINGTON, Texas -- White Sox left-hander Chris Sale settled into a groove and struck out 13 in seven shutout innings, leading Chicago to a 9-2 romp over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night at Globe Life Park.

Sale (5-2) posted his 22nd career game with double-figure strikeouts, extending his franchise record. He fanned at least 10 for the third game in a row, a career high.

Chicago (24-27) rebounded from a 15-2 drubbing in the series opener Tuesday. The White Sox are down to one game, the series finale, on their 11-game, four-city road trip. They are 5-5 so far.

Sale got stronger as the game wore on. He didn't allow a hit or baserunner after the third inning.

The White Sox also got a boost from Jose Abreu, who returned to the lineup as the designated hitter and drove in three runs.

Abreu missed the previous three games with an inflamed right index finger, and even though he wasn't back at first base, he brought his bat. The 2014 All-Star went 2-for-4 and drilled his ninth home run.

The White Sox racked up 12 hits, with eight starters getting at least one. Catcher Tyler Flowers had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh.

Texas (27-26) saw its four-game winning streak end. The Rangers were without two of their power hitters, first baseman Prince Fielder, who was rested, and outfielder Josh Hamilton, who is nursing a hamstring injury.

Texas avoided a shutout with a base-loaded walk in the eighth. Rookie third baseman Joey Gallo, who made his major league debut Tuesday, homered for the second consecutive day, a solo shot into the right field upper deck in the ninth.

Rangers starter Nick Martinez, who came into the game with a 2.03 ERA, couldn't get out of the fourth inning.

The White Sox jumped out in front 6-0 in the second by battering Martinez, who left plenty of balls up over the plate. Martinez allowed six hits, including Abreu's homer, and hit a batter in a 41-pitch inning.

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A bases-loaded, two-run single by second baseman Carlos Sanchez started the scoring. Center fielder Adam Eaton followed with a two-run double before Abreu crushed a two-run shot to straightaway center.

Abreu added an RBI single in the fourth, scoring first baseman Adam LaRoche to make it 7-0.

Martinez (4-2) was done one batter later. The seven runs allowed snapped a run of 16 straight starts of giving up no more than three runs. The righty's 3 1/3-inning stint was his shortest of the season.

NOTES: Texas OF Josh Hamilton (left hamstring) and 1B Prince Fielder (rest) were out of the lineup. After the game, the Rangers announced that Hamilton will be out four weeks with a Grade 2 strain. ... Chicago DH Jose Abreu was back in the lineup after missing three games with a finger injury. He likely will serve as the designated hitter for several games before returning to first base. ... Texas 3B Joey Gallo's major league debut Tuesday posted a season-best 4.9 TV rating on FOX Sports Southwest in Dallas-Fort Worth and was the highest-rated Rangers game locally in more than a year. ... Rangers OF Delino DeShields was selected the American League Rookie of the Month for May.

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