White Sox 4, Brewers 2
MILWAUKEE -- Chris Sale worked eight innings in his first start after a five-game suspension as the Chicago White Sox rallied late for a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday night at Miller Park.
Sale (3-1) had allowed 13 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over his last two outings but came out strong against the Brewers, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out 11 in eight innings.
And after spending much of the night struggling to cash in with runners on, the White Sox offense finally came through for Sale in the eighth.
First baseman Jose Abreu drew a one-out walk off right-hander Michael Blazek (3-1) and right fielder Avisail Garcia followed with a single to left.
The White Sox caught a break when Blazek's 2-0 offering to third baseman Conor Gillaspie was wild, moving Abreu and Garcia both into scoring position.
Blazek walked Gillaspie intentionally, loading the bases for Ramirez, who hit a fly ball to center just deep enough to let Abreu score the go-ahead run.
Abreu reached three times on the day and added an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth.
Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings of work.
David Robertson worked a perfect ninth to earn his sixth save.
Shortstop Jean Segura tripled and scored in the first inning to put the Brewers on the board first.
Fiers didn't give up a hit through his first 3 2/3 innings, but he got in trouble in the fifth, allowing back-to-back doubles to shortstop Alexei Ramirez and catcher Tyler Flowers to tie the score. Second baseman Michah Johnson put the White Sox ahead 2-1 with an RBI single that knocked in Flowers.
Herrera's home run led off the bottom of the fifth and knotted the game at 2.
NOTES: Chicago GM Rich Hahn said LHP Carlos Rodon will be transitioned into the rotation beginning with a start Friday at Oakland. Hahn said the team mapped out a plan for Rodon through the All-Star break and that he might not pitch every fifth day as the team looks to increase his workload gradually. ... Brewers INF Elian Herrera made his fifth straight start in place of 3B Aramis Ramirez, who remains unavailable due to lower back tightness. ... The White Sox committed 11 errors over their previous eight games. Chicago's .977 fielding percentage ranked 28th in the majors entering play Tuesday. ... Before Tuesday, the Brewers had hit 22 home runs over their last 13 games after hitting just nine through their first 20 contests this season. ... The interleague series concludes Thursday night with Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (1-3, 4.00 ERA) facing Chicago LHP Jose Quintana (1-3, 5.03 ERA).