BALTIMORE (AP) — Lucas Giolito pitched impressively into the seventh inning, Gavin Sheets twice came through with the bases loaded and Yoán Moncada pulled off a slick double play to help the Chicago White Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
Giolito (10-7) allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings, rebounding from last week’s effort in which he gave up seven runs in three innings against Houston. Then Kendall Graveman was helped out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh thanks to Moncada’s play at third.
With the bases loaded and one out and Chicago up 3-1, Baltimore’s Jorge Mateo hit a bouncer right at the base. Moncada lunged to his right to snag it, and while doing so tagged third with his bare hand for the force. Then he threw to first to complete the twin killing.
Sheets drove in three runs for the White Sox, who remained four games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. Austin Hays homered for the Orioles, who stayed 2 1/2 back of the last wild card in the American League.
The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the first against Spenser Watkins (4-4), and Sheets came through with a two-run single. Baltimore’s lone run came in the fourth when Adley Rutschman hit a leadoff double and eventually scored on a groundout by Ryan Mountcastle.
In the sixth, Chicago again loaded the bases with one out. José Abreu struck out, but Sheets beat out a roller to the shortstop for an infield single and a 3-1 lead.
The White Sox added another two runs in the eighth on a wild pitch and an RBI single by AJ Pollock. Sheets actually came up with the bases loaded a third time that inning but lined out to right for the third out. Chicago left 14 men on base and has stranded 27 through the first two games of this series.
Hays hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 5-3.
The White Sox have had a frustrating season, but there’s still time for them to make a run, especially if their starting pitching clicks. Dylan Cease and Johnny Cueto have been sharp, but Michael Kopech just went on the injured list and Giolito and Lance Lynn have ERAs over 5.00.
If Giolito’s effort Wednesday was a sign of things to come, it could give Chicago a real boost down the stretch.
ROSTER MOVE
The Orioles claimed RHP Phoenix Sanders off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: OF Eloy Jiménez didn’t play after being hit on the left elbow by a pitch Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Lynn (3-5) starts for the White Sox against Jordan Lyles (9-9) in the series finale. Lynn is 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA over his last six starts.
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