White Sox rally late vs. Seattle's reeling 'pen
SEATTLE -- The White Sox scored five times in the final two innings -- including a trio of runs in the 10th -- to pull out a 6-3 victory over the Mariners on Saturday night at Safeco Field.
The White Sox crossed the plate on a bases-loaded walk, a passed ball and a fielder's choice in the 10th off Mariners relievers Danny Farquhar and Edgar Olmos in an inning where the only hit was a double by Jose Abreu to go along with three walks and an error.
"Walking the leadoff hitter isn't ideal," said Farquhar, who gave up the three walks (one intentional) and was sent back to Triple-A Tacoma after taking the loss. "I didn't throw too many strikes today. It's hard to pitch when you're not throwing strikes. It was one of those days."
Rookie southpaw Carlos Rodon (5-5, 4.22 ERA) gave up six hits and three runs (one earned) with four walks and eight strikeouts over seven frames for the White Sox. All three runs came in a sixth inning that included doubles by Nelson Cruz and Franklin Gutierrez sandwiched around an error on second baseman Carlos Sanchez.
Give your team a chance to win and that's all you can do as a starting pitcher," Rodon said. "They swung the bats today and it's great. Maybe a little later on, but a win is a win and I'm happy."
Vidal Nuno, making his fourth start for Seattle since moving into the rotation, allowed one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, but wound up with a no-decision after the White Sox rallied for two runs off Mariners closer Carson Smith in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 3. Nuno has now made 19 straight starts without a win since June 27, 2014, when he was with the Yankees.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rodon reaches deep: The Mariners struggled to do much of anything against Rodon's slider in the first inning but looked poised to break through in the second as Cano, Gutierrez and Austin Jackson all singled to load the bases with nobody out. But Rodon produced his best pitches of the inning with the added pressure. He struck out Jesus Montero on yet another slider and got Brad Miller to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning unscathed.
Video: CWS@SEA: White Sox turn crucial double play in 2nd
"That was a tough jam to get through," Rodon said. "Nice double play turned by the middle infield. Just kept rolling. That's all you can do."
Guti delivers again: Gutierrez came into the game on an 0-for-11 stretch, but the veteran left fielder has repeatedly come through in the clutch in recent weeks and he chalked up another big blow with his go-ahead two-run double in Seattle's three-run sixth against Rodon. Gutierrez, who missed all last season with health issues, went 3-for-3 with a walk to hike his average back up to .303 with 21 RBIs since being called up from Triple-A two months ago.
Video: CWS@SEA: Gutierrez puts Mariners ahead with double
Late-inning: The White Sox failed to produce much of anything over the first eight innings, their lone run coming on a Trayce Thompson solo shot in the first. In the ninth, their silent bats came back to life. Avisail Garcia singled to lead off against Smith and J.B. Shuck walked to put two runners on with no outs. Alexei Ramirez singled to bring the score to 3-2, and Sanchez followed with a sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Pinch-hitter Adam LaRoche grounded out to first to push the tying run across, but Chicago's rally stopped there as Adam Eaton flied out to right to end the inning. More >
Video: CWS@SEA: A. Garcia draws go-ahead walk in the 10th
Bullpen blues: The Mariners bullpen has struggled of late, but Tom Wilhelmsen replaced Nuno in the seventh after a two-out double by Sanchez and got out of that frame with a groundout by Eaton after walking Tyler Flowers. Wilhelmsen then worked a 1-2-3 eighth. But Smith, the Mariners' rookie closer, ran into trouble in the top of the ninth as he suffered his second blown save in his past three appearances by giving up the lead and Farquhar took the loss in the 10th. The Mariners now have 18 blown saves on the season, tied for third most in the Majors, after totaling just 12 last year when they had the fewest in the American League. More >
"The fact is we're just not getting it done," said manager Lloyd McClendon, whose team designated veteran reliever Fernando Rodney for assignment in addition to sending Farquhar down after the game. "That's our 18th blown save and [Major League high] 22nd loss in the opponent's final at-bat and that takes a toll on a team." More >
QUOTABLE
"It's part of the game. I just go out there and throw pitch-by-pitch. It's all dictated by the game. Unfortunately it's been 18 or 19 games without a win, but I know what I need to do every day to get ready and keep my arm healthy. That's the key." -- Nuno on his 19 straight starts without a win
Video: CWS@SEA: Nuno's 6 2/3 frames of one-run ball
"These guys have been steady all year. From the players to the coaches. Everybody affiliated with this team has stayed positive. There were some very frustrating times but you wouldn't be able to tell in the clubhouse. You go out and try to win every game. We've had some stretches where we're going to win five out of six and then lose seven out of eight, that's baseball." -- LaRoche on team confidence
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Cruz extended his on-base streak to 32 games by going 1-for-3 with a double and walk. The Mariners designated hitter has the longest on-base streak in the AL this season and is tied for the third-longest in the Majors behind the 44 games of Matt Holliday and 41 for Troy Tulowitzki.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon challenged a ruling that Eaton was hit by a pitch in the left forearm by a Nuno pitch in the fifth inning. Eaton was spun around by the inside fastball on a 1-0 count and hit the deck. The call stood after a review, loading the bases with two outs, though Nuno got out of the jam with a groundout by Tyler Saladino.
Video: CWS@SEA: Hit-by-pitch call stands in the 5th
WHAT'S NEXT
White Sox: John Danks (6-9, 4.58 ERA) takes the mound in Sunday's series finale against the Mariners at 1:10 p.m. PT at Safeco Field. The 30-year-old left-hander took a loss against the Angels in his last start, allowing five runs on five hits, including two first-inning home runs, over seven innings. He is 2-7 with a 5.98 ERA in his 11 road starts this season.
Mariners: Taijuan Walker (8-7, 4.60) makes his second career start against the White Sox on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old is 1-0, 2.86 ERA in his last four outings. He took the loss at Chicago last season when he allowed one run on two hits with five walks over four innings in a 1-0 defeat.
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