Early Birds unload on wild Giolito
White Sox right- hander Lucas
Giolito struggled mightily with his control, getting only four outs in the Orioles’ 9- 3 victory Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Giolito ( 3- 5) saw his ERA climb to 7.53 after allowing seven runs, six hits and three walks. He struck out none, threw a wild pitch and hit a batter. Of his 54 pitches, 27 were strikes. Trey
Mancini and Adam Jones hit back- to- back homers against Giolito in the second inning, helping Baltimore build a 9- 0 lead after three innings. The Sox demoted Carson Ful
mer, who, like Giolito, struggled to throw strikes and locate pitches, to Class AAA Charlotte last Friday, but “I don’t foresee that at this particular time’’ for Giolito, manager Rick Renteria said.
“He’s just a young man who’s gotta continue to minimize the emotional aspect of crossing from preparation into the game and staying focused, relaxed, then hammer the zone with strikes,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘ And, truthfully, it’s just first- pitch strike and get after the next one.
“I don’t see [ Fulmer and Giolito] anywhere near each other.’’
Fulmer ( 8.07 ERA) walked 24 in 32„ innings. Giolito has walked 37 batters in 49 innings.
“Walking this many batters is unacceptable,’’ Giolito said. “I just need to find a way to compete and throw the ball over the plate more often.”
Orioles righty Dylan Bundy ( 3- 6) struck out 14 and walked one while allowing two hits, including a three- run homer to Jose Rondon — his second in two games.
Roster moves
With their catching depth in a state of despair after Welington Castillo’s 80- game suspension and a couple of injuries in the farm system, the White Sox called up Alfredo Gonzalez from Class AAA Charlotte and claimed catcher
Dustin Garneau off waivers from the Athletics. Garneau, 30, was optioned to Charlotte.
Right- hander Miguel Gonzalez ( shoulder) was transferred to the 60- day disabled list. The left- handed- hitting Omar
Narvaez, who was backing up Castillo, is holding Castillo’s spot as the No. 1 guy. The right- handedhitting Kevan Smith, who split duty with Narvaez last season but was demoted this year after Castillo was signed as a free agent, is nursing a sore ankle on Charlotte’s disabled list. The Sox also promoted catcher
Yermin Mercedes from high Class A Winston- Salem to Charlotte.
The Sox’ top catching prospects — Zack Collins and Seby Zavala — are at Class AA Birmingham. Zavala ( wrist) is on the DL.
Hahn said Smith and Zavala could be options when healthy in the coming weeks, while Collins, the Sox’ No. 1 catching prospect, most likely will continue to get every- day work at Birmingham.
Garcia to DL, Tilson promoted
The Sox recalled outfielder Charlie Tilson from Charlotte and put outfielder- infielder Leury
Garcia on the 10- day disabled list with a sprained knee.
Garcia is batting .262/. 308/. 369. Tilson, who started in left field, went 0- for- 3 with a strikeout. He struggled with a .288 on- base percentage and no home runs at Charlotte. It was his first MLB appearance since 2016, when he suffered a devastating hamstring injury that ended his season. Rodon leaves start early
Carlos Rodon’s second minorleague rehab start was cut short after the left- hander, pitching for Charlotte against Norfolk, was struck in the head by a line drive.
Rodon wasn’t injured, but he was removed as a precaution. He threw 2⅔ innings, striking out six and allowing one hit and no walks. Rodon threw 40 pitches, 29 for strikes.