Orioles 9, White Sox 1
CHICAGO -- The Baltimore Orioles got their offense going and avoided a sweep by the Chicago White Sox on Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Orioles snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-1 victory that ended the White Sox's four-game winning streak.
Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez turned in a strong outing to earn the win, and the Orioles broke out of an offensive funk with 10 hits.
Baltimore second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit a home run and drove in two runs in his return from a long injury absence. Right fielder Chris Davis went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, first baseman Steve Pearce finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, and catcher Caleb Joseph had three RBIs, including a two-run double that gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning.
Gonzalez (7-5) kept Chicago's hitters off balance in his six innings. He struck out three, allowed one run and gave up four hits and a walk. In Gonzalez's prior start, the Texas Rangers tagged him with a loss and six runs in 4 1/3 innings, which included three home runs.
Rookie left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-2) took the loss after throwing five-plus innings. Rodon allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks in his first start since manager Robin Ventura skipped his last turn in the rotation. He struck out seven.
Rodon had a 3-0 record and 1.88 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field coming into the game, but he quickly got into trouble. Third baseman Conor Gillaspie committed two of Chicago's four errors on a slowly hit ball to third by left fielder Nolan Reimold, and it led to a 1-0 lead for the Orioles when center fielder Adam Jones (2-for-4, two runs) doubled him home.
Schoop's homer made it 2-0 in the second, and Baltimore broke the game open with six runs combined in the sixth and seventh innings. The Orioles were aided by two more Chicago errors in a four-run seventh.
The White Sox (36-43) scored in the sixth on a double by left fielder Melky Cabrera that plated first baseman Jose Abreu, but Cabrera was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple. Chicago's only other threat against Gonzalez happened in the third, but Abreu struck out to end the inning with runners at second and third.
Just about the only negative for the Orioles (43-39) happened to Davis in the eighth inning and still resulted in a run scoring. For the second game in a row, he had a home run taken away by a White Sox outfielder.
A day after Avisail Garcia prevented a game-tying homer in the ninth with a leaping grab at the fence in right field, Cabrera snagged a possible homer by Davis on Sunday at the fence in left.
The consolation prize was Jones scoring from third to make it a sacrifice fly.
NOTES: The Orioles officially activated 2B Jonathan Schoop (sprained knee) from the 60-day disabled list before the game, and he was in the starting lineup batting eighth. INF Ryan Flaherty was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter said RHP Hunter Harvey was slated to start a throwing program Sunday. Harvey, one of the team's top prospects, hasn't pitched yet this season because of elbow soreness. ... Showalter said RHP Jason Garcia (right shoulder tendinitis) will make a rehab start Monday for the team's Double-A Bowie affiliate. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he has confidence in RHP Zach Putnam, who allowed a game-tying home run Saturday that prevented RHP Jeff Samardzija from getting a win after a strong outing. "That's part of going through a long year," Ventura said. "A couple of homers have bit him, but this one we got to come back and win the game. In the end, that's the important thing. He's pitched well for us."