White Sox Sweep Pirates on Stellar Effort by Gavin Sheets (Chicago, Illinois) – In the second game of a two-game series with the Pirates, the Sox started Carlos Rodon at the mound on a crisp cool Chicago night. Carlos started nicely as he dispatched the first three batters to start the game. The 2nd and 3rd innings were quiet as both teams struggled to get a handle on good pitching. But in the 4th inning, Gavin Sheets got good contact on a 96-mph fastball and drove it over the right-field fence for a 3 run homerun. In the top of the 5th, the Pirates got on the scoreboard with an RBI single and the Sox led 3-1. When the Sox went to bat in the bottom of the 5th, they added a run on a Pirate throwing error as Jose Abreu trotted home to add to the Sox lead at 4-1. Later in the 5th, with 2 outs, Leury Garcia hit an RBI double just inside the left-field line to add another run and the Sox lead was extended to 5-1.

Pitching Changes Galore

In the 6th inning, Reynaldo Lopez came in for Carlos Rodon who quickly retired the Pirates in order. Aaron Bummer took over pitching duties in the 7th inning, but gave up a solo HR which cut the Sox lead to 5-2. The Sox threatened again in the bottom of the 7th, but Leury Garcia hit into a double play to end the inning.

Newly acquired reliever Ryan Tepera went to the mound to start the 8th inning and immediately gave up a double, and then hit the next Pirates batter, leaving runners on first and second with one out. Sox Manager Tony La Russa then brought in Liam Hendriks who got an out, but then gave up an RBI single to left field. After few tense moments, Hendriks got a pop out to strand two Pirate baserunners leaving the Sox ahead 5-3. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Gavin Sheets started out and nailed a 94-mph fastball deep into the center-field seats for his second HR of the night, which increased the Sox lead to 6-3. Liam Hendriks returned in the 9th inning and threw a series of 97 mph fastballs to close out the game. The White Sox won by a score of 6-3 behind the offense of Gavin Sheets who had 2 homers and 4 RBIs.