Rangers 2 - 1 White Sox
Final
  for this game

Moreland, Rangers rally past White Sox

Jun 20, 2015 - 5:53 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Mitch Moreland delivered a pinch-hit, two- run single in the top of the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers survived another historic start from Chris Sale to beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-1.

Sale took a perfect game into the sixth inning and got through eight, allowing just a pair of hits and no walks. The dynamic lefty also struck out 14 batters, making him just the third player since 1900 to record 12-plus strikeouts in five straight games.

Sale joined Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson and future inductee Pedro Martinez in that exclusive group.

Despite striking out the side in the eighth inning, Chicago manager Robin Ventura pulled his ace and turned to closer David Robertson (4-2), who failed to secure the win.

"Sale has a long way to go in this season, and you're trying to take care of him," said Ventura. "Other guys have jobs to do too. It's tough."

Shin-Soo Choo drew a one-out walk and Elvis Andrus singled on a sharply hit liner up the middle to put the go-ahead run on base against Robertson. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and after Prince Fielder was walked intentionally to load the bases, Moreland ripped a single to right that plated two.

Shawn Tolleson replaced Colby Lewis (7-3) and picked up his 10th save.

Lewis pitched eight strong innings, allowing nine hits and a run with seven strikeouts to improve to 6-1 since May 6.

"I just tried to go out there and match (Sale)," said Lewis. "If he had a quick innings, I tried to go out and have a quick innings too."

The White Sox dropped their eighth straight game.

Sale struck out two batters in each of the first three innings. He got Texas slugger Joey Gallo swinging to end the fourth and fanned Fielder to start the fifth.

Tyler Flowers broke the draw with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, producing the game's only run until the ninth.

Sale fanned two again in the sixth, but not before Hanser Alberto ended his perfect game bid with a softly hit liner to center. Alberto later saved at least two runs when he tracked down Melky Cabrera's fly ball to short right field with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Sale struck out the side on 12 pitches to get through the eighth inning.

Game Notes

Sale also became the first pitcher to strike out 10 or more batters in six straight since Johnson in 2002 ... This was Sale's second career start with 14-plus strikeouts and no win. Jake Peavy and Yu Darvish are the only other active pitchers with two such starts ... Gallo fell to 0-for-6 with six strikeouts lifetime against Sale ... The Rangers activated Rua from the 60-day DL, recalled pitcher Alex Claudio from Triple-A Round Rock, optioned pitcher Anthony Ranaudo to Round Rock and designated outfielder Jake Smolinski for assignment.






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