Grandal, Mendick key 5-run 8th, White Sox beat Rangers 8-3
By MATT CARLSON | Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Yasmani Grandal hit a tiebreaking, two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Friday night.
Danny Mendick homered to cap a five-run eighth as the White Sox tagged John King.
“I've never seen him in my life,” said Grandal, who finished with two hits and three RBIs. “I was pretty much looking for a mistake or looking or something up. He made the mistake and I was able to capitalize on it.”
Nathaniel Lowe homered and doubled for Texas. Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager hit home runs, but the Rangers lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Starting with Jake Burger’s infield single, Chicago got five hits in a row with two outs in the eighth.
Grandal broke a 3-all tie with his double off to the right field corner off King (1-2). Josh Harrison hit an RBI single and Mendick went deep as the White Sox rebounded to snap a two-game losing streak a day after a wild 11-9 loss to the Dodgers.
“I think you just take advantage of mistakes,” Mendick said. “All those hits were cumulative. It just kept funneling through and all with two outs."
Then Mendick, a utilityman, hit his second homer when King “left a cutter out over the plate and (he) got the barrel to it."
Kendall Graveman (2-1) pitched the eighth for the win, despite allowing Seager’s homer that tied the game at 3.
Texas righty Matt Bush started instead of Glenn Otto, who was put on the COVID-19-related injured list before the contest. Catcher Mitch Garver also was put on the list.
“We were obviously put in a tough spot losing our starter, but our pitchers did a good job and kept us in the game,” Texas manager Chris Woodward said. “A couple of mistakes, didn't make some plays and being a little sloppy there at the end led to a five-run eighth inning.”
Bush tossed a scoreless inning, then was followed by five pitchers. King was hit hard when he started elevating pitches, Woodward said.
“When he's down in the zone, he's probably the most effective guy in baseball," Woodward said.
The White Sox used right-hander Reynaldo Lopez as an opener instead of Davis Martin who had been scheduled to start. Lopez tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three.
Martin followed, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out six in five innings in his third major league appearance.
Chicago manager Tony La Russa was impressed by Martin. Even if the rookie allowed solo shots to Lowe and Garcia, he walked only one
“I can't give enough credit to Davis Martin,” La Russa said, “You can't get beat on solo homers.”
HIGH LOWE
Lowe had his third straight multi-hit game and fourth in five for Texas. The first baseman’s seventh homer was hit fourth in nine games this month.
WHITE SOX MOVES
The Chicago White Sox optioned slumping INF/OF Gavin Sheets to Triple-A Charlotte and recalled RHP Jimmy Lambert from Charlotte.
Sheets was hitting .206 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 44 games, and batting just .154 in June. Lambert has appeared in three games with the White Sox this season, going 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Texas activated INF/OF Brad Miller from the 10-day injured list. Miller, out since May 29 with right hip impingement started in left field and batted seventh. … In a corresponding move, the Rangers optioned INF Andy Ibáñez optioned to Round Rock … RHPs Tyson Miller and Jésus Tinoco were added from Triple-A Round Rock as replacements for Otto and Garver.
White Sox: La Russa said LHP Lance Lynn (right knee surgery) could rejoin the team next week and possibly start on Tuesday. Lynn has made three rehab starts with Triple-A Charlotte.
UP NEXT
Texas LHP Martín Pérez (4-2, 1.56), with the lowest ERA in the AL, faces Chicago ace RHP Lucas Giolito (4-2, 3.54). Pérez has nine consecutive quality starts, and is 4-0 with an 0.88 ERA during the span.
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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