|
 Sale needed 10 strikeouts to become the first pitcher in
major-league history to record at least 10 strikeouts in nine
straight starts, but he finished with six in his 104-pitch
complete-game victory.
Winning the game is what he cared about most, and that came courtesy
of an eighth-inning rally by the White Sox (37-43). Chicago scored
three runs off Toronto starter Mark Buehrle in the eighth to spoil
an otherwise strong outing by the former left-handed White Sox ace.
Left fielder Melky Cabrera came through with a one-out double that
plated two runs in the eighth and provided the winning margin, while
Sale finished off his start by getting designated hitter Edwin
Encarnacion to hit into a game-ending double play.
Sale allowed six hits and two runs and didn't walk anybody to go
with his six strikeouts. Buehrle threw all eight innings for the
Blue Jays (43-42) and had a string of four straight winning starts
come to an end. Buehrle allowed nine hits, didn't walk any and
struck out two.
Each pitcher likes to work fast on the mound, which led some to
predict it would be a fast game. It turned out to be lightning
quick, finishing in just one hour, 54 minutes to avoid a looming
storm that was approaching the area.
The Blue Jays got their runs off Sale on solo homers in the third by
first baseman Chris Colabello and in the sixth by third baseman Josh
Donaldson, his 20th of the season, to give Toronto a 2-1 lead. It
looked like that might stand up as the winning margin until the
White Sox hit in the eighth.
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Chicago scored three runs off Buehrle on three hits and an error by
shortstop Jose Reyes that put leadoff hitter Gordon Beckham on
first. Center fielder Adam Eaton hit a key single to put runners at
the corners with one out, and first baseman Jose Abreu singled
Beckham home to tie it 2-2. Cabrera then drilled his two-run double
in the next at bat to give Sale a 4-2 lead starting the ninth.
NOTES: Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista and C Russell Martin were named to
the American League All-Star roster as reserves. They join 3B Josh
Donaldson, who was voted a starter. ... LHP Chris Sale was named to
the AL roster for the White Sox. ... White Sox RHP Jeff Samardzija,
who can become a free agent in the offseason, is trying to ignore
talk about him possibly being on the trade block. He learned from
last season, when he was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland
A's. "I probably watched and paid attention a little more last time
and things ended up happening that had nothing do with anything
(rumored)," Samardzija said. "It taught me to not pay attention to
it and go about my business." ... The Blue Jays haven't officially
named a starter for Tuesday, but the most likely candidate is LHP
Felix Doubront. ... White Sox RHP Nate Jones, who had Tommy John
surgery, said he might go on a minor-league rehab assignment within
the next couple weeks.
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reserved.]
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