Final
White Sox-Orioles Preview
Apr 30, 2016 - 4:36 AM Despite his rocky 2015 season, the Chicago White Sox took a flier on Mat Latos in hopes he could bounce back enough to contribute at the back end of the rotation.The veteran right-hander has instead gotten off to one of the majors' best starts.
Latos has an opportunity to become the first pitcher to win his first five starts with the White Sox in 13 years Saturday night when Chicago seeks a rare road victory over the power-hitting Baltimore Orioles.
Chicago's gamble on Latos certainly appears to be paying off after the 28-year-old went 4-10 with a career-worst 4.95 ERA for three teams last season. He's unexpectedly played a key role on a pitching staff that owns an AL-best 2.62 ERA.
Latos turned in a strong outing Sunday, allowing one run over six innings in a 4-1 win over Texas. Only Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann has a lower ERA than his 0.74.
Latos can join Jake Arrieta of the Cubs and teammate Chris Sale as the majors' only pitchers with 5-0 records, and he also has a chance to become the first pitcher to win his first five starts with the White Sox (16-8) since Esteban Loaiza in 2003.
"My plan is to go out there and attack and throw strikes and put zeros up on the board," Latos told MLB's official website. "Every fifth day I go out there, I want to command the zone down, I want to mix my slider for strikes, I want to throw the curveball over for strikes, throw the split in there when I need to."
Perhaps most importantly, he'll try to help Chicago avoid a season high-tying third straight loss after dropping the first two of this four-game set at Camden Yards.
In his only career start versus Baltimore, Latos gave up five runs and 10 hits over five innings in a 5-4 road loss Sept. 2, 2014 while with Cincinnati. Pedro Alvarez has faced Latos the most of any Orioles batter, going 8 for 29 with two home runs.
The Orioles (14-8) have totaled 16 runs and 23 hits against Chicago's previously outstanding staff. Nolan Reimold delivered a three-run homer in the seventh inning of Friday's 6-3 victory that gave the club its 12th win in the past 16 home meetings.
Reimold is batting .355 with three homers in 13 games for Baltimore, which is hitting .295 with 14 home runs during a MLB-best 9-1 start at Camden.
"He's been a real contributor," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's the first time, I don't want to say (he's) completely healthy, but healthy (enough) to show what he's capable of."
Manny Machado is 19 for 41 while hitting safely in all 10 at home. He's also batting .375 with two home runs and five doubles in his last 10 there against the White Sox.
Baltimore hopes to keep scoring for right-hander Kevin Gausman, who allowed one run while striking out seven over five innings in Monday's 2-0 loss at Tampa Bay. He hasn't allowed a run over two innings in a pair of relief appearances versus Chicago.
Jose Abreu has heated up, going 7 for 17 over his last four games. On Friday, Brett Lawrie hit his 12th career home run against the Orioles - his most against any team.
- CHICAGO: 8
BALTIMORE: 7
Final
Sep 26 11:56 AM - CHICAGO: 8
BALTIMORE: 7
End 9
Apr 30 10:49 PM - Jose Abreu singles to right field. Carlos Sanchez to third. Adam Eaton scores.
White Sox 8, Orioles 7 Top 9, 2 OutsApr 30 10:39 PM - Abreu singled to right, Eaton scored, C.Sánchez to third.
White Sox 7, Orioles 7 Top 9, 2 OutsApr 30 10:39 PM - Chris Davis doubles to deep left center field. Adam Jones scores. Manny Machado scores.
White Sox 7, Orioles 7 Bot 8, 2 OutsApr 30 10:17 PM - Todd Frazier homers to center field. Jose Abreu scores.
White Sox 7, Orioles 5 Top 8, 0 OutsApr 30 9:58 PM - Jose Abreu singles to right field. Carlos Sanchez scores.
White Sox 5, Orioles 5 Top 8, 0 OutsApr 30 9:55 PM - Austin Jackson singles to right field. Brett Lawrie scores.
White Sox 4, Orioles 5 Top 7, 2 OutsApr 30 9:27 PM - Adam Jones doubles to deep right field. Hyun-Soo Kim scores.
White Sox 3, Orioles 5 Bot 6, 2 OutsApr 30 9:09 PM - Pedro Alvarez doubles to deep center field. Matt Wieters scores.
White Sox 3, Orioles 4 Bot 5, 2 OutsApr 30 8:50 PM - Tyler Saladino reaches on error. Dioner Navarro scores. Fielding error by Jonathan Schoop.
White Sox 2, Orioles 1 Top 3, 1 OutApr 30 7:51 PM - Adam Eaton reaches on a fielder's choice to third base. Dioner Navarro to third. Jerry Sands scores. Fielding error by Manuel Machado.
White Sox 1, Orioles 1 Top 3, 1 OutApr 30 7:49 PM - Mark Trumbo singles to shallow right field, tagged out at second, Adam Eaton to Dioner Navarro to Tyler Saladino. Adam Jones scores.
White Sox 0, Orioles 1 Bot 1, 2 OutsApr 30 7:18 PM - Adam Eaton walks.
Apr 30 7:07 PM
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