The Sports Xchange
Jun 15, 2017
CHICAGO -- Matt Davidson homered in his fourth straight game while Melky Cabrera went 2-for-5 with two RBIs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 in a Thursday afternoon series finale at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The White Sox (29-36) took three of four in the series while the Orioles (32-33) slipped back below the .500 mark with their seventh loss in eight games.
Baltimore starter Chris Tillman (1-5) suffered his fifth straight loss while Chicago starter David Holmberg had no decision after allowing just one run in a 4 1/3-inning outing.
Reliever Anthony Swarzak (3-1) worked 1 2/3 innings for the victory.
Chicago got off to a slow start despite early scoring opportunities.
The White Sox loaded the bases in the second inning but failed to score as Tillman struck out Willy Garcia on three straight pitches.
Chicago threatened again with two outs in the third with runners on first and second. But Tillman maintained the shutout as he struck out Todd Frazier, who threw down his bat in frustration after a third strike swing.
Davidson, who also went 2-for-4, gave Chicago a 1-0 lead with a solo home run to left to lead off the last of the fourth. It was his team-leading 14th of the season.
Holmberg, meanwhile, was sharp through the first four innings allowing just three baserunners while recording three strikeouts.
But the Orioles threatened in the fifth with runners at first and second with none out, and Holmberg departed after Ruben Tejada flied out to center.
Catcher Caleb Joseph greeted right-handed reliever Swarzak with a double to center to score Jonathan Schoop from second base to tie the game 1-1. But Swarzak limited further damage as he struck out Joey Rickard and got Adam Jones to line out to right.
Holmberg was charged with the run.
In the bottom of the fifth, White Sox manager Rick Renteria and right fielder Avisail Garcia were ejected by first base umpire Paul Emmel after arguing a third strike call on Garcia's one-out at-bat.
Chicago loaded the bases on Tillman for the second time in the game in the sixth, this time with none out as the White Sox scored four times.
Cabrera bounced a one-out single up the middle to score Davidson and Yolmer Sanchez for a 3-1 lead.
That spelled the end for Tillman, who was replaced by right-handed reliever Jimmy Yacabonis.
He walked Tim Anderson to again load the bases and issued a base on balls to Jose Abreu to bring home Kevan Smith to make it 4-1.
Leury Garcia's sacrifice fly to deep center drove in Cabrera, and Yacabonis then walked Frazier -- the third of the inning -- to again put three runners on base.
Right-handed reliever Miguel Castro got Davidson on a called third strike to finally end the inning.
Tillman gave up five runs on a season-high 11 hits through 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Welington Castillo slammed a leadoff solo home run in the ninth off Chicago reliever David Robertson.
NOTES: Baltimore took the seven-game season series from Chicago, winning four games. The Orioles are 7-0-2 in the last nine series against the White Sox. ... Thursday's loss in the series finale at Guarantee Rate Field left Baltimore 11-23 on the road. ... The Orioles return home Friday for a three-game interleague series against St. Louis, sending RHP Kevin Gausman (3-5, 6.49 ERA) against Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (5-5, 2.95 ERA). ... Chicago begins a six-game, seven-day road trip on Friday, visiting Toronto and Minnesota. The White Sox send LHP Jose Quintana (2-8, 5.30 ERA) against Blue Jays RHP Joe Biagini (1-5, 3.38 ERA) in the Rogers Centre opener. ... Chicago reinstated RHP Michael Ynoa from the 10-day disabled list (right hip flexor strain) prior to Thursday's game. He is 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 16 appearances this season.