Sale has 15 strikeouts as White Sox beat Rays 2-1

[May 29, 2012]  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Chris Sale struck out a career-high 15, Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox extended their winning streak to six games with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.

Sale (6-2) gave up one run, three hits and walked two in 7 1/3 innings while finishing one strikeout shy of the team record. Jack Harshman struck out 16 against Boston on July 25, 1954.

Sale struck out his 15th batter, Jose Molina, with a runner on third and two outs in the seventh. He retired his final batter, Rich Thompson, on a grounder to lead off the eighth.

After Jesse Crain got the final two outs in the eighth, Addison Reed pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Chicago took a 2-1 lead during the sixth when Gordon Beckham singled and scored on Dunn's 16th homer. Dunn has gone deep 11 times in May.

Matt Moore (1-5) allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings for Tampa Bay. The left-hander, who given up 19 runs over 19 2-3 innings in his previous four starts, struck out 10 and walked one.

The White Sox had scored at least nine runs in each of their previous four games.

Chicago's Paul Konerko, who entered hitting .399, went 1 for 4. He flared an opposite-field single to right during the ninth that extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

Ben Zobrist singled, stole second and scored to put the Rays up 1-0 on Jose Lobaton's RBI single in the fourth. Lobaton was activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game after being out since April 13 due to right shoulder soreness.

Zobrist, playing in right field, took a hit away from A.J. Pierzynski in the second with a diving catch.

Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton went 0 for 4, including three strikeouts against Sale, and had his 10-game winning streak end.

NOTES: White Sox GM Kenny Williams doesn't think LHP John Danks, who is on the 15-day DL with a left shoulder strain, will need a minor league rehab start. Danks could rejoin the rotation around June 5. ... Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria (partially tear left hamstring) increased his agility and running program, and continues taking batting practice and fielding grounder. ... Williams said attendance could impact the White Sox at the trade deadline. "If you can't monetarily make something work, sometimes you have to do it with a greater cost to your talent," Williams said. Chicago is averaging 20,663 this season at home. ... To make room for Lobaton, Tampa Bay optioned C Chris Gimenez to Triple-A Durham.

[Associated Press]

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