Abreu, White Sox overpower Mariners
CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox started against Seattle with the longest streak of hits in the major leagues in more than three years.
Jose Abreu had four hits that included a pair of home runs, Yoan Moncada was a single shy of the cycle and the White Sox beat the Mariners 10-4 Monday night to end a seven-game losing streak.
Chicago became the first big league team to open a game with seven straight hits since Colorado against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 17, 2014, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“Any club would take that every single day of the week,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “It gave us a boost. It is a pick-me-up. Winning heals a lot of different things, especially with the run we’ve had. I thought it was more than the win. I thought it was the way we played.”
Moncada’s leadoff triple was followed by five straight singles and Matt Davidson’s double off Mike Leake (2-2) in a five-run first inning.
Abreu raised his home run total to six this season with his 12th multihomer game for the White Sox. After getting outscored 27-2 in three losses to Houston, Chicago had a season-high 18 hits.
Starting on short notice because Miguel Gonzalez was placed on the disabled list with rotator cuff inflammation, Carson Fulmer (1-1) allowed two runs and three hits in a season-high six innings. The 24-year-old righthander retired 12 straight before Mitch Haniger doubled in the fifth and Mike Zunino homered.
Fulmer allowed four runs in just one inning against Oakland on April 18. Chris Beck, called up from triple-A Charlotte before the game, finished for his first big league save, giving up two runs and six hits.
“The offence was obviously rolling tonight,” Fulmer said. “It definitely lets you settle in a little bit. I have to give everything to the offence tonight. They were able to get off to a quick start. To have that momentum on your side is really big.”
Leake, acquired from St. Louis last August, did not last five innings for the first time in five starts this season. He allowed eight runs and 12 hits in 31⁄ innings, raising his ERA from 4.50 to 6.59.
“It was Mike Leake’s 10th start with us, and it was really the first time he had a rough one,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We’ve seen Mike struggle a little bit in the first inning before, but the ball was up tonight and he had a hard time keeping it out of the middle of the plate. Mike has been outstanding for us. He just didn’t have it tonight.”
Haniger homered for the fourth consecutive game for Seattle and has eight this season.
Chicago had not totalled seven hits in six of its previous 11 games. Every White Sox player in the game had a hit, including pinch-hitter Trayce Thomson. NEW YORK — Rookie Miguel Andujar homered and doubled to extend his barrage of extra-base hits, Didi Gregorius had a grand slam and the New York Yankees hammered the Minnesota Twins 14-1 Monday night for their first three-game winning streak under new manager Aaron Boone.
Slumping Giancarlo Stanton homered in going 4-for-4 and Gleyber Torres singled for his first major league hit, a day after the prized 21-year-old made his debut with the Yankees.
The teams hadn’t met since New York topped the Twins 8-4 in the AL wild-card game last October at Yankee Stadium. This was no contest as Minnesota lost its fourth in a row and brought in centre fielder Ryan LaMarre to pitch in the eighth inning — Tyler Austin tagged him for a two-run homer.
Andujar kept taking meaty cuts and delivered an extra-base hit in his seventh straight game — tied with Pittsburgh’s Corey Dickerson for the longest streak in the majors this year. Andujar is 15 for 29 (.517) during that span with eight doubles, a triple and three home runs, raising his season average from .107 to .316.
The 23-year-old third baseman lined a solo drive into the left-field seats in the second inning and added a hard double.
Stanton hit a loud, long drive for his fifth homer, and Gary Sanchez boomed a two-run double. Both sluggers began the game batting under .190.
Brian Dozier singled home Minnesota’s run. He has a team-record 17-game hitting streak to begin a season, and a 24-game string dating to last year.
Masahiro Tanaka (3-2) gave up three hits in 6 ⁄ innings. He’s won all five of his career starts against the Twins.