Gonzo way to end it: White Sox stop Yanks

April 19th, 2017

NEW YORK -- and mashed homers to support 's masterful outing as the White Sox handed the Yankees their first loss in more than a week, posting a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees saw their eight-game winning streak -- the longest in the Majors this season -- snapped as they wasted 's 10-strikeout performance. The right-hander held the White Sox to a run through the first six innings before Pete Kozma's error opened the door for Avisail Garcia's three-run homer in the seventh.
• Severino continues to improve
"I was looking for something in the zone," Garcia said. "He throws really, really, really hard. He throws everything for a strike, so you've got to be careful and don't try and do too much with that guy. My second at-bat, he threw me a lot of sliders. My third at-bat, he threw a couple of fastballs, and I was looking for what he threw me a lot, the slider."

Gonzalez was incredibly efficient, throwing 88 pitches in his 8 1/3 innings. He needed just 59 pitches to get through the first seven. The Yankees were held hitless by Gonzalez until reached on an infield single in the fifth. The right-hander permitted four infield hits and one walk with four strikeouts, picking up his first victory in 19 road starts.
• Efficient Gonzalez keeps Yanks in infield
"I never think about it," said Gonzalez of his road woes, featuring a 0-7 mark with a 4.39 ERA in those 18 road starts, dating back to Aug. 4, 2015. "I just go out there and compete. That's my goal. Every time I go out there, I try to do six-plus innings. Quality innings are important, quality starts as well."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
A costly lapse: Severino induced a tailor-made double-play ball on in the seventh inning, but Kozma -- reputed as a light hitter, but a slick-fielding shortstop -- booted the grounder for an error. popped up a bunt attempt for the first out, but Garcia made Kozma and the Yankees pay with a three-run homer to left field. Garcia's homer had an exit velocity of 109.6 mph and traveled 429 feet, according to Statcast™.
"I was right there and I just missed it," Kozma said. "Hasn't happened to me in probably five years. I make that play, there's two outs, nobody on and he doesn't have to make that pitch."

Leury legend: One of the smallest White Sox players physically delivered the first run of the game when Leury Garcia went deep with two outs in the third. It was Garcia's first home run of the season, and it could help him earn more playing time in center. He's currently splitting time there with .

"He gets to drive the ball out of the ballpark in his first at-bat. He did a nice job defensively for us out there," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "Every time he gets an opportunity, I think he gives you a good chance of doing something, creating something."
The great escape: The White Sox lifted Gonzalez following a four-pitch walk to in the ninth, calling upon former Yankee to get the final two outs of the game. Robertson -- who earned the nickname "Houdini" during his time in New York -- issued a free pass to that loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate. Robertson recovered to strike out , and after Castro worked a walk, forcing home a run, grounded into a game-ending fielder's choice.

"You feel that you've really got a chance there," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We've got the middle of the order, some guys to hit some home runs. You feel you've got a chance there, but we didn't get it done."
QUOTABLE
"We understand last year he was struggling a little bit. This year he is just trying to stay inside the ball. He has power. He doesn't have to try to hit the ball out every time. He's been doing a really good job staying inside the ball and taking it the other way. Today that slider he hit was up, and his approach is definitely showing." -- Gonzalez, on Avisail Garcia
REPLAY REVIEW
The Yankees successfully challenged a call at first base in the top of the sixth inning after was initially ruled safe on an infield single. A review of 46 seconds overturned the call, with first baseman Greg Bird having applied the tag on Saladino.

WHAT'S NEXT
White Sox: makes his second Major League start and his eagerly anticipated first one at Yankee Stadium in Wednesday night's series finale, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT. Covey earned a no-decision in his debut Friday against the Twins.
Yankees: will look to build on the progress he made in his last start on Wednesday as he takes the ball for the series finale against the White Sox. Tanaka is coming off a win against the Cardinals in which he permitted three runs over 6 1/3 innings.
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