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 Chris Sale (3-2) remained undefeated in his career against AL West teams, settling down after a rough second inning to make it through seven. The left-hander struck out seven and walked two.
AL West-leading Texas managed only two runs in the second despite a homer, three singles and a walk. Sale then faced only one batter over the minimum 15 the next five innings, benefiting in one from a double play he started.
Gillaspie's homer leading off the seventh against rookie right-hander Nick Tepesch (2-2) broke a 2-all tie. Tyler Flowers snapped an 0-for-17 slide with a single before De Aza's fifth homer of the season.
Tepesch allowed five runs and eight hits over 6 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked two, ending a span of 85 batters faced over 20 1-3 innings since his previous walk.
Sale is 8-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 22 career games (nine starts) vs. AL West teams.
Addison Reed worked the ninth for his ninth save in as many chances this season, and 15th in a row going back to last season.
The Rangers were within 2-1 on Jeff Baker's one-out homer in the second, his third this season and second in two nights. They then loaded the bases.
Mitch Moreland walked before consecutive singles by Geovany Soto and Craig Gentry. Ian Kinsler then hit a ball off the 14-foot wall in left field, but only got a single with only one run in to tie the game at 2. Soto, the catcher, was retreating to second base when the ball ricocheted off wall was almost passed by Gentry before finally scooting over to third. Elvis Andrus then went from a 3-0 count to striking out before Lance Berkman's inning-ending fielder's choice grounder.
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After Berkman's two-out single in the fifth, Adrian Beltre struck out when he wasn't even in the batter's box. Beltre stepped back after requesting time and had his back to the plate when Sale threw the pitch called a strike by home-plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth, who didn't grant timeout.
Nelson Cruz drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, but Sale fielded Baker's comebacker to start a double play.
The White Sox had leadoff doubles in each of the first two innings, and turned both into runs.
De Aza doubled into the right-field corner to start the game. After almost being picked off second base, De Aza scored on a single by Alex Rios, who was picked off first for the inning-ending out.
Paul Konerko, who was at the plate when Rios was caught off base, started the second with a double and scored on a double-play grounder by Flowers for a 2-0 lead.
NOTES: A.J. Pierzynski, who spent the previous eight seasons in Chicago, was hit by a pitch as a pinch-hitter with two outs in the ninth. The catcher didn't start Tuesday or Wednesday because of soreness and bruising on his right side. ... Third baseman Beltre had a nifty play in the fifth when De Aza tried to bunt for a hit. Beltre barehanded the ball and was falling away from the field when he threw off one foot and got De Aza out at first. ... The Rangers, who have lost three of their last four games, have to win the rubber game Thursday to avoid their first series loss of the season. They are 5-0-3, the only team in the majors without a series loss this season.
[Associated
Press; By STEPHEN HAWKINS]
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