Gonzalez pitches six scoreless innings to hold off Rangers, 3-2
ARLINGTON, Texas—Miguel Gonzalez escaped early trouble and pitched six scoreless innings, leading the Chicago White Sox over the Texas Rangers 3-2 Sunday.
Texas dropped 2 ½ games behind the Twins and the Angels for the AL's second wild-card spot. The Rangers finished a 10-game homestand 7-3, but split the four-game series against Chicago.
Gonzalez (7-10) pitched out of one-out, bases-loaded jams in both the second and third innings. After allowing singles to the first two batters in the fourth, Gonzalez retired the last nine batters he faced.
Juan Minaya recorded his second save, both in the last three games, despite giving up Rougned Odor's two-run homer with two outs in the ninth.
Chicago capitalized on the Rangers' stranding runners by scoring all three runs in the
fourth inning against A.J. Griffin (6-4).
Omar Narvaez stretched his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single and Tyler Saladino followed with a two-run double. Saladino had only six RBIs in his 53 previous games this season.
Gonzalez tied his season high with six strikeouts, and gave up four walks and four hits, all singles. He's 2-0 in his last three starts, allowing two runs in 20 innings.
The Rangers left 10 runners on base. They had scored 29 runs in the series' first three games, and 51 in the previous five.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: INF Yoan Moncada didn't play for the second straight game because of shin splints. Manager Rick Renteria said he hoped Moncada could play in both games of Monday's doubleheader.
Rangers: 3B Joey Gallo (bloody nose and swollen upper lip) and RHP Matt Bush (bruised right knee) both left the game in the eighth inning after colliding while chasing a popup. Bush's head slammed into Gallo's nose. Both were being evaluated under Major League Baseball's concussion protocol . ... LHP Jake Diekman, recovering from surgery for ulcerative colitis, was scheduled to make his second rehab appearance for Double-A Frisco on Sunday night.
UP NEXT
White Sox: Host Minnesota in a Monday doubleheader to begin a fivegame series. LHP Carlos Rodon (1-4, 4.00 ERA) is the scheduled first-game starter, with RHP Carson Fulmer coming up from Triple-A Charlotte for his first major league start in the second game. Fulmer was 0-2 in 11 relief appearances for the White Sox last season, and is 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA for Charlotte.
Rangers: LHP Cole Hamels (8-1, 3.48) will be seeking his fifth straight win on Monday night when Texas visits the Angels for a four-game series.