White Sox hit six HRs to back Keuchel’s pitching
CHICAGO — Jose Abreu hit two home runs and the surging Chicago White Sox went deep six times to back Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) in a 10-1 romp over the crosstown Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday night.
The White Sox (16-11) pounded Jon Lester and matched a season high with their sixth consecutive win. They moved five games above .500 for the first time since they were 27-22 in 2016 with the victory over the NL Central leaders.
Abreu hit a three-run drive in the third inning and another home run in the ninth, giving the White Sox 22 home runs in the past six games. They have outscored their opponents 48-12 in that span.
Luis Robert got the rout going with a two-run drive to left field in the second. Danny Mendick connected leading off the fourth. Yasmani Grandal chased Lester two outs later with a two-run shot, and Eloy Jimenez made it 9-0 with a home run in the seventh against the team that signed him out of the Dominican Re- public in 2013.
Keuchel (4-2) held the Cubs to 1 run and 6 hits in 8 innings.
Lester (2-1) gave up nine hits in 32/3 innings. The eight runs were the most for him since he allowed eight in a loss to Milwaukee last Septem- ber. The five-time All-Star has been tagged for 13 in his past two outings, sending his ERA soaring from 1.06 to 5.06.
Nico Hoerner broke up the shut- out with an RBI single in the eighth.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
MARLINS 3, NATIONALS 2 Miguel Rojas hit a three-run home run in his first at-bat after being activated from the covid-19 injured list, and visiting Miami snapped a five-game skid by beating Washington. Rojas connected in the second inning against Patrick Corbin (2-2), and that was all Miami needed to take the opener of a five-game series.
PIRATES 7, BREWERS 2 In Pittsburgh, Chad Kuhl pitched five effective innings for his first win in more than two years, and the Pirates defeated Milwaukee. Kuhl (1-1) gave up a long home run to Ben Gamel in the second but otherwise kept the Brewers at bay to pick up his first victory since June 15, 2018. Kuhl missed the second half of 2018 and all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
BRAVES 11, PHILLIES 2 Marcell Ozuna homered twice and drove in four runs as host Atlanta roughed up Philadelphia.
REDS 4, CARDINALS 2 Pinch-hitter Matt Davidson delivered a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning, and visiting Cincinnati beat St. Louis.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 6, RAYS 5 (10) In St. Petersburg, Fla., Cavan Biggio and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. each drove in a run during the 10th inning to help Toronto win its sixth consecutive game. Biggio knocked in Brandon Drury from second to start the 10th with a double off Aaron Loup (3-1). Biggio went to third on a sacrifice bunt before Gurriel hit a sacrifice fly as the Blue Jays went up 6-4.
Yandy Diaz began the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single against Jordan Romano. The reliever got a grounder from Hunter Renfroe with two on for his first career save.
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 5 Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez homered to provide Boston an early lead, and the Red Sox beat Baltimore for its season-high third consecutive victory. Bogaerts hit a home run off John Means (0-2) in the second inning, and Martinez connected for a tworun home run in the third. Rafael Devers added a three-run drive to make 6-0 in the fifth.
ROYALS 7, TWINS 2 Jorge Soler hit a threerun home run in the first inning, and Kansas City beat Minnesota. Hunter Dozier added a two-run shot and finished with three RBI as Kansas City won for the sixth time in its past seven games at Kauffman Stadium.
TIGERS 10, INDIANS 5 Rookie Isaac Paredes hit a grand slam for his first major-league home run, and Detroit snapped a 20-game losing streak against host Cleveland. The Tigers also ended a nine-game slide that included being swept at home last weekend by the Indians.
MARINERS 7, RANGERS 4 Kyle Lewis hit a home run, Nick Margevicius matched his career high with seven strikeouts and Seattle beat Texas.