Final
Cabrera's HR off Sale lifts Rays over White Sox
Jun 14, 2015 - 10:53 PM St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Chris Sale made one just mistake and Asdrubal Cabrera crushed it into the left-field seats.Cabrera's two-run homer in the seventh inning lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to their second-ever sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
The Rays were scuffling against Chicago's ace before Steven Souza Jr. drew a leadoff walk in the seventh. Souza, among the league leaders in strikeouts, was down 1-2 in the count and patiently took three pitches off the plate.
Sale compounded the walk by grooving a fastball that Cabrera didn't miss.
"You have a team pretty much where you want them and then you make a stupid mistake and walk a guy and leave a fastball right down the middle and lose the game," said Sale. "It's really nothing more than that."
Cabrera's third home run of the season was enough to take the finale of the three-game series.
"I was looking for one pitch," he said. "He threw me a fastball and missed in the middle."
Nathan Karns and three relievers limited the White Sox to a 1-for-9 effort with runners in scoring position.
That hit came in the second when Carlos Sanchez followed Gordon Beckham's double down the left-field line with an RBI single through the right side.
Karns pitched six innings, struck out eight and scattered seven hits, while C.J. Riefenhauser (1-0), Steve Geltz and Kevin Jepsen all pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Jepsen picked up his fifth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Sale (6-3) was handed the hard-luck loss despite striking out 12 and allowing just three hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings. He has at least 12 strikeouts in each of his last four starts, a feat that had not been accomplished since Pedro Martinez went four in a row with Boston in 2001.
Game Notes
The Rays have won eight straight games against left-handed starters ... Sale has posted double-digit strikeouts in five straight outings ... The Rays went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
- CHICAGO: 1
TAMPA BAY: 2
Final
Jun 14 3:52 PM - A.Cabrera homered to left on a 1-1 count, Souza Jr. scored.
White Sox 1, Rays 2 Bot 7, 0 OutsJun 14 3:13 PM - Asdrubal Cabrera homers to center field. Steven Souza Jr. scores.
White Sox 1, Rays 2 Bot 7, 0 OutsJun 14 3:13 PM - Carlos Sanchez singles to right field, tagged out at second, Rene Rivera to Steven Souza Jr. to Asdrubal Cabrera. Gordon Beckham scores.
White Sox 1, Rays 0 Top 2, 1 OutJun 14 1:38 PM - Adam Eaton singles to right center field.
Jun 14 1:11 PM - CHICAGO: 0
TAMPA BAY: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 14 1:10 PM
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