Sunday, May 21, 2017

Avisail Garcia collects 4 extra-base hits in White Sox's win

(TSX / STATS) -- SEATTLE -- Mike Pelfrey didn't fully appreciate Avisail Garcia until he became his teammate with the Chicago White Sox this season.

"You see the talent, but until you get the chance to see somebody day in and day out ... he's got all the tools," Pelfrey said.

Garcia showed those off Saturday night, hitting two home runs and two doubles and driving in a career-high six runs to lead the White Sox to a 16-1 victory against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Garcia (4-for-5) posted a career high for hits. He became the first White Sox player with four extra-base hits in a game since Jermaine Dye on Aug. 2, 2007, against the New York Yankees.

"As big and strong as he is, there might be a couple more multi-homer games," said Pelfrey, who pitched six innings of four-hit ball to earn his first victory of the season.

The first eight hitters in the Chicago batting order each had at least two hits, and all nine White Sox batters had at least one hit and one RBI.

It got so bad for the Mariners that manager Scott Servais sent utility infielder Mike Freeman to the mound to pitch the ninth. Freeman allowed three consecutive singles to open the inning but allowed just one run on a sacrifice fly by Willy Garcia.

Pelfrey (1-4) didn't walk a batter and struck out three. The only run he allowed came after the White Sox built a 10-0 lead.

It was Pelfrey's first win since July 13, 2016, when he beat the Houston Astros as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

"Sometimes as a pitcher, you get that many runs and might let down a little bit, and he stayed very focused, gave us six good innings," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said.

Seattle's Yovani Gallardo (2-4) struggled from the start.

The White Sox scored four runs in the first before Gallardo could record an out, although that wasn't entirely his fault.

After Yolmer Sanchez led off with a walk, Melky Cabrera grounded a ball to Freeman, who was getting a start at second base with Robinson Cano on the disabled list. Freeman bobbled the ball, then stumbled while trying to tag out Sanchez between the bases. The error resulted in runners at first and second.

Jose Abreu smashed a run-scoring double down the left field line to open the scoring. Avisail Garcia followed by hitting the first pitch he saw for a three-run homer to left field, making it 4-0.

He homered again in the third, his eighth of the year, to make it 5-0.

"When you focus, good things happen," Avisail Garcia said. "Just tried to stay in the middle and trust my hands."

Said Renteria: "That was pretty impressive. I think he's been having really good at-bats and he's driving the ball. ... We're very hopeful that he's breaking through."

The White Sox knocked out Gallardo in the fourth. They loaded the bases with no outs before a sacrifice fly from Willy Garcia. Sanchez's single down the left field line loaded the bases again, and Cabrera hit a two-run double to left field to make it 8-0.

Abreu flied out to the deepest part of center field, bringing Servais to the mound to relieve Gallardo before he had to face Avisail Garcia a third time.

"Not a good start at all," Servais said. "Fortunately, it only counts as one loss."

Avisail Garcia greeted left-hander Dillon Overton with a two-run double into the gap in left-center field to give Chicago a 10-run lead.

Gallardo wound up charged with 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four.

Seattle catcher Carlos Ruiz led off the sixth with a double into right-center field and scored on a pair of groundouts.

Chicago scored five more in the seventh off Overton to make it 15-1.

NOTES: White Sox starting pitchers were 0-8 with a 5.75 ERA over the previous 13 games before RHP Mike Pelfrey snapped the streak Saturday. ... Chicago 2B Yolmer Sanchez extended his hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-for-5. ... The White Sox reportedly reached an agreement with prized Cuban OF prospect Luis Robert, 19, on a deal worth more than $25 million.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Horford, Thomas lead Celtics over Bulls 104-87 in Game 3

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) – The Boston Celtics got pep talks from a past champion as well as their current superstar. Then, they put a charge in a series that was slipping from their reach.

Al Horford had 18 points and eight rebounds, Isaiah Thomas scored 16 points, and the top-seeded Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 104-87 on Friday night after dropping the first two games of their opening-round series at home.

The Celtics pulled away after a 20-point lead shrunk to one early in the third quarter and put themselves in position to tie the series just as it was getting away from them. Game 4 is Sunday in Chicago.

They got a recorded message from Kevin Garnett before the game. Thomas, still grieving the death of his sister, had a few things to say, too.

"To me personally, it was everything," Jae Crowder said. "It was just a little motivation speech. (Garnett) said we looked like a team that wasn't having fun. We looked like a team that (wasn't) soaking in the moment. We just needed to play for one another, and play for the moment which is at hand being in the playoffs and have fun with it. He basically said put a little more KG into it."

Dwyane Wade scored 18 for Chicago. Jimmy Butler had 14 points on 7-of-21 shooting, and the offense simply didn't click the way it had been, with Rajon Rondo out indefinitely with a broken right thumb. Chicago shot about 39 percent and committed 18 turnovers.

"We're not going to put this all on missing Rondo because he might not show up," Wade said. "It sounds like he's going to be out for a while. We need to come out as a team and figure out how to be better."

Thomas rejoined the team after spending time with his family in Tacoma, Washington. He scored eight points in the third quarter, helping the Celtics regain control, and finished with nine assists in the game.

Crowder added 16 points. Avery Bradley scored 15 and hit four of Boston's 17 3-pointers.

"We weren't coming here hoping to get a win," Bradley said. "We knew we were coming here to win both games."

TIP-INS

Celtics: Coach Brad Stevens shook up the lineup looking for more shooting and athleticism. Gerald Green started over Amir Johnson and had eight points in 21 minutes. Johnson played six minutes. ... Boston hit 17 of 37 3s.

Bulls: The Bulls were 6 of 21 on 3-pointers. ... Chicago is 121-50 all-time in home playoff games. ... The Bulls own a 170-136 edge on the glass in the series after outrebounding Boston 52-37.

HANGING ON

The Celtics' lead was down to 44-43 early in the third when Thomas hit Horford for an alley-oop dunk and nailed back-to-back 3-pointers. Boston maintained a comfortable edge after that.

The Celtics led by 18 after hitting 7 of 11 3-pointers in the first quarter and were up 37-17 early in the second before the Bulls jumped back into it.

They had the crowd rocking in the closing minute of the half. Nikola Mirotic nailed a 3, cutting it to 44-41, and pointed toward the sky. Wade then blocked Bradley's 3, causing a shot-clock violation with 4.7 seconds left, before Butler missed a desperation 3 for Chicago as time expired.

"It's hard to maintain a lead in this league," Stevens said. "But also, to come into the locker room when they cut it to three and you know you've got to then step up and do it again - I thought that our guys really stayed the course."

NO RONDO

Rondo, who was injured in Game 2, will probably be re-evaluated in a week to 10 days. The Bulls said he won't need surgery.

He watched from the sideline and got in on the action to some extent late in the first quarter. Crowder jawed at the Bulls' bench after hitting a jumper and Rondo extended his leg as he walked by.

"When you tear an ACL, your leg gets stiff every once in a while," Rondo said. "I was stretching my leg out. I always do that throughout the game, I guess he was so deep in our bench, it looked like what may have happened, happened."

UP NEXT

Game 4 is Sunday in Chicago.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

IL Lottery

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ These Illinois lotteries were drawn Wednesday:

LuckyDay Lotto Midday

04-15-18-25-39

(four, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-five, thirty-nine)

Pick Three-Midday

2-2-8, Fireball: 5

(two, two, eight; Fireball: five)

Pick Three-Evening

6-9-9, Fireball: 6

(six, nine, nine; Fireball: six)

Pick Four-Midday

6-5-9-7, Fireball: 2

(six, five, nine, seven; Fireball: two)

Pick Four-Evening

2-3-6-2, Fireball:

(two, three, six, two; Fireball: zero)

Lucky Day Lotto

07-25-35-36-42

(seven, twenty-five, thirty-five, thirty-six, forty-two)

Estimated jackpot: $650,000

Mega Millions

Estimated jackpot: $45 million

Powerball

01-19-37-40-52, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 3

(one, nineteen, thirty-seven, forty, fifty-two; Powerball: fifteen; Power Play: three)

Estimated jackpot: $80 million

Saturday, April 15, 2017

White Sox beat Twins 2-1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Dylan Covey allowed one run while pitching into the sixth inning of his big league debut and Matt Davidson hit a solo home run in the seventh, lifting the White Sox to the road win.

Covey walked three and struck out one in 5 1-3 innings. Davidson’s third homer of the year reached the upper deck in right field off Ryan Pressly (0-1), and David Robertson picked up his second save.

Dan Jennings (1-0) pitched one inning of scoreless relief.

The start of the game was held up 36 minutes by rain. Steady showers fell again in the second and third innings, but the teams were able to keep playing through it.

Friday, April 7, 2017

Molina: "Dumb" to ask about substance on chest protector

By STEVE OVERBEY
Associated Press


ST. LOUIS (AP) Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and most everyone else at Busch Stadium laughed at the bizarre sight - a ball somehow stuck to his chest protector , in plain view of everybody except him.

But the St. Louis star didn't think it was so funny when asked if a foreign substance helped the thing cling.

"Did I put anything on my chest protector to stick?" Molina said. "That's a dumb question."

Whatever happened, it sure made for strange situation at Busch Stadium. And it was the key play that sent the Chicago Cubs past St. Louis 6-4 Thursday.

The Cardinals led 4-2 in the seventh inning when things turned kooky.

Pinch hitter Matt Szczur led off by striking out on a pitch from Brett Cecil that skipped in the dirt. The ball bounced into Molina's protector and smack, it stayed there.

"I don't know if they've come out with Velcro on the protectors or it's just a fuzzy baseball," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It was definitely Velcro-ed to his chest."

As Molina frantically looked for the ball, Szczur headed toward first base.

"I just took off running," Szczur said. "My first base coach told me it was stuck to his stomach. I thought, `What?'"

By the time Molina looked down and discovered the ball, it was too late, Szczur was safe. The Gold Glove catcher could only smile and fans in sellout crowd roared - really, who'd ever seen such a thing?

"I haven't seen that one before," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "I have no idea what happened there."

Catchers sometimes put pine tar somewhere on their uniforms, often around the shin guards, to help give them a better grip.

Molina was certain about one thing.

"That play changed everything," he said. "If we get that first out, everything changes."

Once Szczur reached on what was scored as a wild pitch, the Cardinals lost their grip on this game.

After a walk, Kyle Schwarber hit a go-ahead, three-run homer. The Cubs added another run later in the inning against Cecil (0-1).

Schwarber, who injured his knee in an outfield collision in the third game last year and missed the rest of the regular season, enjoyed the big hit.

"We celebrated, I made it past the third game this year," Schwarber said. "I turned the horseshoe around. I turned it up so I could make it through."

The World Series champions won two in a row after losing to the Cards on opening night.

John Lackey (1-0) threw six solid innings against his former team and new Cubs closer Wade Davis got his second save.

Addison Russell drove in a pair of runs on groundouts for Chicago.

St. Louis starter Lance Lynn went 5 1-3 innings in his first appearance since Oct. 2, 2015. The right-hander, who'd been out since having Tommy John surgery, gave up two runs and five hits.

SLUMP

NL MVP Kris Bryant went 0 for 4 and struck out twice. He also walked and scored a run. The Cubs slugger is 0 for 13 this season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Brian Duensing remains on the 10-day disabled list with back spasms. He is eligible to come off on Sunday.

Cardinals: OF Stephen Piscotty did not start, but came into the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning. Piscotty was hit in the head by a throw from INF Javier Baez while sliding into the plate in a 2-1 loss on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: LHP Brett Anderson will face Milwaukee RHP Jimmy Nelson in the first of a three-game set in Milwaukee on Friday. Anderson will be making his Cubs debut after eight seasons with Oakland (2009-2013), Colorado (2014) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2015-16)

Cardinals: RHP Mike Leake will face Cincinnati LHP Amir Garrett when St. Louis concludes its season-opening homestand with the first of a three games on Friday. Leake has won 10 or more games in four of the last six seasons.

Thursday, April 6, 2017

IL Lottery

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ These Illinois lotteries were drawn Wednesday:

LuckyDay Lotto Midday

09-32-40-43-45

(nine, thirty-two, forty, forty-three, forty-five)

Pick Three-Midday

3-2-3, Fireball: 5

(three, two, three; Fireball: five)

Pick Three-Evening

0-8-5, Fireball: 3

(zero, eight, five; Fireball: three)

Pick Four-Midday

8-2-6-7, Fireball: 7

(eight, two, six, seven; Fireball: seven)

Pick Four-Evening

3-8-4-5, Fireball: 2

(three, eight, four, five; Fireball: two)

Lucky Day Lotto

07-26-41-42-45

(seven, twenty-six, forty-one, forty-two, forty-five)

Estimated jackpot: $100,000

Mega Millions

Estimated jackpot: $20 million

Powerball

08-20-46-53-54, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2

(eight, twenty, forty-six, fifty-three, fifty-four; Powerball: thirteen; Power Play: two)

Estimated jackpot: $40 million

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Tigers-White Sox opener in Chicago postponed because of rain

CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago White Sox paraded onto the field in convertible Mustangs with the tops down for the pregame introductions prior to their season opener against the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

There was plenty of pomp and circumstance. There was also too much rain and - because of that - no game.

The White Sox postponed the opener against Detroit because of the downpour, delaying the start of a new era on Chicago's South Side.

The game rescheduled for Tuesday, with the Tigers' Justin Verlander and White Sox's Jose Quintana getting their starts pushed back a day.

"I think everybody was looking forward to starting the season, but obviously there are some things out of our control, and this happens to be one of them," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said.

It had been raining all afternoon. With the field drenched and no break in the forecast, the game was called off 101 minutes after the scheduled start.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus didn't seem too concerned earlier in the day about the possibility of a postponement.

"No contingencies to work out," he said. "If we get rained out, we'll play tomorrow. At some point, we're going to play."

A bigger concern for him: Getting the Tigers back to the postseason.

They missed out for the second straight season after winning four straight AL Central championships. They finished eight games behind Cleveland in the division and just missed the wild card with 86 wins last year.

The White Sox, meanwhile, started rebuilding after a 78-84 finish and their fourth straight losing season.

Gone are ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton, both traded as management stocked up on young players. Those weren't the only changes.

There's a new manager, with Renteria replacing Robin Ventura. The ballpark has a new name, too - Guaranteed Rate Field instead of U.S. Cellular Field.

Change is definitely happening, and it's not hard to see why. After all, the White Sox have just one playoff appearance since the 2005 championship season.

While the record probably won't be great, there is at least some intrigue surrounding the team. That's because things are at least different.

Promising players such as second baseman Yoan Moncada, along with hard-throwing pitchers Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez are in the pipeline thanks to the big trades.

Quintana could be the next star player to be traded. Veterans such as third baseman Todd Frazier and closer David Robertson could also be moved.

"Fundamentally, all of us in the front office started off as fans so we have that same default mindset about wanting things to be done quickly, but wanting them also to be done right," general manager Rick Hahn said.

"The trick is, is that we're at least privy to where conversations have been on certain players and can sleep well at night knowing that there really hasn't been anything presented to us that's been turned down that we look back in retrospect and could possibly kick ourselves for turning down. These aren't exact formulas, there's no clear-cut, this is the proper value, but we really haven't been presented with anything in recent months that's even been close to feeling like this is something we should do."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Tigers: RF J.D. Martinez (sprained right foot) is expected to begin rehabilitation this week.

White Sox: Hahn said LHP Carlos Rodon (bursitis in his left biceps) has been throwing and will likely begin working from a mound in a week. He will also go on a rehab assignment before returning from the 10-day disabled list. "We're going to take our time on this one," Hahn said.