White Sox 13, Rays 6: Chris Sale supported and then some

The White Sox’ drive for .500 is more than alive. After their fourth consecutive victory tonight, it looks stronger than ever.

The Sox routed the Rays for the second time in as many days, and this one was even more comfortable as they tied their best single-game run total of 2016. They took a 3-0 lead three batters into the game after Adam Eaton doubled, Tim Anderson singled him home, and Melky Cabrera added two more with a no-doubt homer to right. That was the first of three consecutive crooked numbers off Alex Cobb, who gave up eight runs on eight hits (two homers) and two walks over his three innings.

The Rays briefly threatened against Chris Sale, with Alexei Ramirez capping a succession of soft hits with a two-run flare to right field that cut the Sox’ lead to 3-2.

Sale kept the Rays in line afterward. The only other damage he allowed over his seven innings was a harmless solo homer in the top of the fourth, which had the appearance of pitching to the score after the Sox just stretched their lead to six runs. Sale ended his seven strong innings retiring the last seven he faced, limiting the Rays to the three runs on eight hits, striking out seven and walking none. He tied a career high with his 17th victory, and with one hit batsman, he set the White Sox single-season record with his 17th HBP.

The Condor wasn’t the only one padding his stats:

*Tim Anderson had a brilliant day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a homer, double, three RBIs and two runs scored.

*Alex Avila drew three walks, yet he didn’t lead the team in pitches seen. that belongs to...

*...Todd Frazier, who went 2-for-5 with a double while seeing 29 pitches to Avila’s 27.

And that doesn’t even cover the biggest surprise. Leury Garcia went 2-for-4 from the ninth spot, and he completed the hardest half of the cycle. The Rays’ defense helped, as Mikie Mahtook didn’t read Garcia’s soft liner to center, and his late dive attempt only made matters worse. Garcia almost had a shot at an inside-the-park homer, but he had to settle for a triple and a run scored after Eaton drove him in.

Garcia didn’t need to force the homer, though, because he still had one in his bat. After Avila (walk) and Carlos Sanchez (double) kept the third inning alive against Cobb with two outs, Garcia swatted a fly to left center that carried just over the fence for a three-run shot, and his first homer since 2014.

Bullet points:

*The only blemish on Anderson’s night was an indefensible error on a routine Ramirez grounder to start the ninth. He didn’t keep the glove down while rounding it off, and it slipped under his glove. Matt Albers doesn’t need help giving up runs, and that opened the door to three of them (two earned).

*The White Sox now only need to win one of their last five games to exceed their win total from last season.

*The White Sox have scored 137 runs this month in 25 games this month, exceeding their previous best in 2016 by a considerable margin (they scored 123 over 28 games in May).

Record: 76-81 | Box score | Highlights