White Sox 8, Rangers 4 (12 innings): Todd Frazier's grand slam lets bullpen breathe

Based on the unfavorable starting pitching matchup -- Miguel Gonzalez vs. Colby Lewis -- the White Sox should've lost this game.

Based on their eighth-inning lead and their undefeated record in such situations, the Sox should've won this game.

Based on a situation involving runners on second and third and Dan Jennings on the mound with one out in the 10th inning, the White Sox should've lost this game.

Based on a four-run lead in the 12th after Todd Frazier hit a grand slam, the White Sox should've won this game.

Eventually, something about this game was as it appeared. Nate Jones and David Robertson teamed up to blow a lead in the eighth, and Robertson blew another lead in the ninth, but Frazier came through against Cesar Ramos with the bases loaded in the 12th inning to finally take the air out of this game.

The slam capped a massive game for Frazier, who busted a slump with a 4-for-6, two-homer, six-RBI day.

Leadoff walks had a lot to do with the late-inning reversals. Adam Eaton set up the winning assault by drawing four-pitch walk from Ramos, and he ended up on third after Elvis Andrus threw away a ball he should've eaten (and he probably should've been home since Rougned Odor fell in front of him to impede him, but the umps didn't call it). Jimmy Rollins stood on second after an infield single and an error, and an intentional walk to Jose Abreu loaded the bases for Frazier with nobody out.

After Ramos missed with a changeup on the first pitch, he came back with a spinning slider that Frazier did not miss. He socked it out to left for a grand slam to finally put this game out of reach.

The Sox needed a cushion, because thinner margins didn't get it done. Frazier first homered in the sixth inning to give the Sox a 2-0 lead, but Odor responded in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot off Gonzalez to cut the lead in half.

When Frazier shot a two-out single through the left side with two outs in the eighth to put the Sox ahead 3-1, the Rangers came back with two against Jones, starting with a leadoff triple by Odor. The Sox missed a couple opportunities -- Brett Lawrie hesitated on a relay that had a chance at getting Odor, and Jose Abreu didn't get his glove up enough on Adrian Beltre's line-drive single.

A Robin Ventura pitching change didn't work, either, as David Robertson came in with two outs and allowed the tying run to score on the first pitch. Ian Desmond jumped on a curve and roped it over the head of Jerry Sands in left to make it a 3-3 game.

Robertson blew the save, but he had a chance to get the win after the Sox scratched together another run in the ninth. Avisail Garcia singled with one out, then went to third on Alex Avila's single before coming home on a perfect Austin Jackson squeeze bunt.

Alas, Robertson issued a leadoff walk to Andrus after getting ahead 0-2, and the Rangers manufactured extra innings with a sac bunt and a single by Hanser Alberto. (Sands, like Lawrie, couldn't even get a throw home.)

Fortunately for the Sox, the Rangers had their own face-palming moment in the 10th. Jennings walked Fielder with one out, and pinch-running Ryan Rua advanced to third on a single that found its way to center despite glancing off Jennings' glove. Jennings then fell behind Mitch Moreland 2-0, but a drawn-in Lawrie gloved a hot grounder to start an inning-ending 4-6-3.

The late-inning dramatics overshadowed a fine outing by Gonzalez, who threw 5⅔ efficient innings for the best start by a White Sox fifth starter this season. He threw just 72 pitches, and didn't run into trouble until the sixth. He gave up a homer to Odor to start the inning, and when it looked like he might complete six, Fielder and Desmond kept the inning alive with a single and a walk. Ventura decided to quit for Gonzalez while he was ahead, and Zach Duke finished the inning with a first-pitch groundout.

It also muted another impressive game by Garcia, who went 3-for-6, and his double and two singles were smoked.

Bullet points:

*Sands was in the game because Melky Cabrera was ejected arguing strikes. He went 0-for-3 with a GIDP and the no-throw.

*Laz Diaz was not a popular man behind home plate, because Jeff Bannister was tossed arguing balls and strikes in the ninth. Avila's single came after Diaz missed a high strike that was very much in the zone.

*Jackson also broke out with a three-hit game at the bottom of the order, including that picture-perfect squeeze.

Record: 23-10 | Box score | Highlights