White Sox snap five-game slide behind Cabrera
CHICAGO -- Melky Cabrera went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored, and the Chicago White Sox held on for a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night.
Brett Lawrie added a run-scoring double for the White Sox, who scored all of their runs in the first inning. Chicago (30-30) snapped a five-game losing skid and won for only the seventh time in the past 27 games.
Daniel Murphy went 1-for-4 with a home run to lead the Nationals. Washington (36-24) managed one run on five hits after breaking out for 31 runs in its previous three games.
Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez (1-1) provided a much-needed quality start for the White Sox, who taxed their bullpen in recent days because of short outings by right-handers Mat Latos and James Shields. Gonzalez limited the Nationals to one run on three hits in six innings. He walked none and struck out five.
Left-hander Gio Gonzalez (3-5) found his footing after allowing three of the first five White Sox batters to score. Gonzalez recovered for a seven-inning performance in which he allowed three runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out 10.
White Sox right-hander David Robertson pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 14th save. Left-hander Zach Duke and right-hander Nate Jones combined with Robertson for three scoreless innings of relief.
The White Sox opened the scoring with a three-run first inning. Cabrera drove in a pair of runs with an opposite-field double that skipped beneath the glove of diving center fielder Michael Taylor. Lawrie followed with a double down the left-field line to score Cabrera.
Daniel Murphy lofted a home run over the right-field wall to cut the deficit to 3-1 leading off the fifth inning. White Sox fielder Adam Eaton climbed the wall to attempt to rob Murphy of his 11th home run, but could only watch as the ball drifted several feet over his head and landed in the Nationals' bullpen.
NOTES: The White Sox signed 1B/DH Justin Morneau to a one-year, $1 million contract for the rest of the season. Morneau, 35, is recovering from offseason elbow surgery and does not expect to be available until around the All-Star break. He hit .310 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 49 games with the Colorado Rockies in 2015. ... Nationals OF Ben Revere received a routine day off for the finale of a nine-game, 11-day road trip. ... The White Sox designated RHP Mat Latos for assignment and promoted RHP Tyler Danish from Double-A Birmingham. Latos, 28, became expendable after surrendering 29 earned runs in his past 36 innings. He was 6-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 11 starts. ... Nationals C Jose Lobaton made his first start since June 3 and went 1-for-3 in place of C Wilson Ramos, who had the day off.