White Sox 7, Mariners 1: Chris Sale goes the distance for America

Bullet points from watching the condensed game and other selected moments...

*The Mariners have a high number of lefties, and injuries have listing even more to the port side. They had to start six lefties against Chris Sale. Predictably, Sale obliterated the Mariners, striking out 12 over a compete-game victory.

He allowed just a single run in the ninth inning, and a real left fielder probably carries him to a shutout. But Dayan Viciedo couldn't cover the ground to get to Robinson Cano's shallow fly ball, and it got past him for a double that set up a sac fly. That's the first extra-base hit for a lefty against Sale this season.

*Then again, the outfield defense saved Sale a couple of baserunners earlier in the game, and maybe two other extra-base hits. Viciedo cut down Kyle Seager at second when he tried to stretch a single into the first extra-base hit by a lefty off Sale this season, and Adam Eaton made a nice running catch in the left-center gap to take a potential double away from Cano.

*Sale allowed just the one run on six hits and zero walks, to go along with the dozen strikeouts for the K Zone.

*The White Sox offense needed the customary first turn through the offense to get a feel for Seattle rookie Roenis Elias. They blew a two-on, nobody-out situation in the second, but Viciedo cracked him for the first run by turning on an inside changeup for his 10th homer.

*Viciedo went 4-for-4 against a team that might be interested in his services (they do need a righty).

*The Sox then exploded in the fifth, with five of the first six batters reaching base. Moises Sierra singled, Tyler Flowers wisely didn't move on an 0-2 curveball that hit him, and Adam Eaton dropped a double over the head of Michael Saunders in right for an RBI double. Sierra didn't seem to get a good read on it, but a rather poor relay left no play at the plate.

Gordon Beckham followed with a sac fly to left, and Jose Abreu then cleared the bases by ripping a line drive on a first-pitch fastball just over the wall in left center. His 27th homer of the year gave the Sox a 5-0 lead, and they cruised from there.

*Paul Konerko turned around an ugly day at the plate by turning around a Charlie Furbush fastball in the ninth inning for a two-run shot.

Record: 41-46 | Box score | Play-by-play | Highlights