MLB GAME RECAP

Sox get hard-fought win over Orioles on Abreu hit

The Sports Xchange

April 30, 2016 at 11:04 pm.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) had the game-winning hit against Baltimore. Photo Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) had the game-winning hit against Baltimore. Photo Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

By Jeff Seidel, The Sports Xchange

BALTIMORE– Jose Abreu lined a tiebreaking single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to give the Chicago White Sox an 8-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.

Chicago (17-8) scored the winning run with a two-out rally.

Zach Britton (1-1) struck out the first two batters before Adam Eaton reached on an infield single. The Baltimore closer appeared to suffer a leg injury fielding the ball on the plate and left the game.

Vance Worley came on and walked Carlos Sanchez before Abreu singled to right, scoring Eaton with the winning run.

Nate Jones (2-0) got the win for Chicago, throwing the final 1 1/3 innings.

The Orioles (14-9) scored four straight runs to take a 5-3 lead before the White Sox rallied for four of their own, the last two on Todd Frazier’s homer in the top of the eighth.

But Baltimore tied the score when Chris Davis lined a two-out, two-run double off Zach Duke. Matt Albers was charged with the runs, ending his string of 30 straight scoreless appearances.

Chicago starter Mat Latos entered the game with an 0.79 ERA and having allowed only two runs and 13 hits in 24 1/3 innings in his first four starts, but Baltimore touched up the right-hander for four runs and 11 hits in five innings.

Latos also allowed solo homers to Pedro Alvarez and Jonathan Schoop.

The Orioles jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on Mark Trumbo’s two-out RBI single.

Chicago took the lead with two runs in the fourth, helped by two Orioles errors. The White Sox had runners on first and third with one out when Eaton hit a possible double-play grounder to Manny Machado.

But the third baseman made a wild throw to second, letting one run in and putting runners at second and third. Tyler Saladino then blooped a ball into short right that Schoop got to — and dropped, bringing in another run.

That was the first error of the season for both Machado and Schoop.

Lawrie added a solo homer with two outs in the fourth to give Chicago a 3-1 lead. That came after a long bottom of the third when the Orioles got three hits, but a double play ruined the inning.

The Orioles put runners on first and second with no outs when Adam Jones grounded toward third to Frazier, who stepped on the bag and threw to Lawrie at second base for the double play. But Machado appeared to reach out during his slide at second and the White Sox challenged the play.

The umpires upheld the play and Chicago manager Robin Ventura kept arguing and eventually was ejected.

Baltimore tied it in the fourth thanks to solo homers from Alvarez and Schoop. Alvarez struck again in the fifth, lining an RBI double to deep center with two outs that gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead.

NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter said that RHP Hunter Harvey, a first-round pick in 2013 who has battled injuries the past few years, came in after a recent outing and was showing symptoms of groin issues again. He’ll be checked out again by a specialist, and the groin’s just “not healing like it should,” Showalter said. … C Matt Wieters is catching in consecutive games for the first time this season as the Orioles have been going slowly with him due to his elbow issues. Showalter said Wieters then will get a two-day break (won’t play Sunday and there’s an off day Monday). … White Sox OF Avisail Garcia was out of the starting lineup Saturday due to a right mid-hamstring strain suffered while running on the final play of Friday night’s game. Manager Robin Ventura said he doesn’t “think there’s a DL situation there,” and everything will be re-evaluated again Sunday. … Before the game, Ventura said he had not yet spoken with RHP David Robertson (on bereavement leave) but that the team expects the closer to return on Sunday for the finale of this series.