Chi. White Sox 13, San Francisco 1
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois
Temperature:
66°
Umpires:
Home -
Stu Scheurwater, 1B -
Eric Cooper, 2B -
Adrian Johnson, 3B -
Gabe Morales
Attendance:
17688
By The Sports Xchange
CHICAGO - Jose Abreu had trouble sleeping Friday night. As Hurricane Irma struck his native Cuba, Abreu checked on family members.
He made sure his grandmother and son were safe. Then he gave them something to celebrate.
Abreu hit for the cycle and joined five teammates in hitting a home run to power the Chicago White Sox to a 13-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
Abreu tripled to right-center field in the eighth to complete the cycle, becoming the sixth White Sox player all-time to accomplish the feat and the first since 2000.
"Even though the hurricane is passing through Miami, my wife is there with my family. What I did today is something important for them too, and it's a little bit of joy for them in this moment," Abreu said through an interpreter.
"I've been awake since 3 a.m. this morning just thinking of all the things that've been happening in Cuba with the hurricane and in Miami, but all those things gave me strength for tonight's game and I feel good now."
Before his triple, Abreu said he was thinking of what his teammate Avisail Garcia told him to do -- hit the ball to the alley.
During the at-bat, Abreu fouled the ball off his shin. Manager Rick Renteria checked on him.
"I just actually started trying to grab his bat," Renteria said. "He pulled it away and I said, 'OK, he's good.' He was fine. We just told him we were going to give him a little time to let the pain subside."
Then Abreu appeared off balance running between second and third bases.
"My legs weren't responding," Abreu said. "But I'm a warrior. I have to fight through that and I did it."
Yolmer Sanchez and Tim Anderson each finished a double shy of matching the accomplishment.
Sanchez hit a three-run homer and Nick Delmonico smacked a two-run shot to help Chicago snap a five-game losing streak. Abreu, Anderson, Garcia and Yoan Moncada each added solo shots, as the White Sox set season high with six home runs.
James Shields (3-6) limited the Giants to one run and two hits in a season-high seven innings one start after he took a line drive off his right knee against Cleveland on Monday. He ended an 11-game winless streak, earning his first victory since June 29.
Shields said he had no doubt he'd make his next start after getting hit by the line drive.
"That's pretty much how you'd want to draw it up if you drew some plans, man," Shields said. "The hitters did a phenomenal job tonight of scoring early, getting me some runs. What a night. We almost had a possible three cycles. It's a pretty special night."
And he was complimentary of Abreu in particular.
"He's one of the best teammates I've been around," Shields said. "He comes to the park to play every day. A lot of people, they don't really realize how hard that guy works, man. He works his butt off. He's in here at noon working out every day when nobody's even in here."
Giants starter Jeff Samardzija (9-13) allowed six runs and eight hits, struck out six and walked one in 5 2/3 innings versus his former team. The right-hander, who grew up in nearby Merrillville, Ind., went 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA with the White Sox in 2015.
"They battled," he said. "They made me throw a lot of pitches. They fouled off a lot of balls. They were aggressive. ...They made me work."
Samardzija had allowed no more than three earned runs in seven of his last eight starts. Previously against the White Sox, Samardzija posted a 0.84 ERA in four career starts.
"Any time you give up four jimmy-jacks, that's the difference of the game," Samardzija said.
Josh Osich gave up two home runs and four runs total after Samardzija exited. The Giants were trying to win three straight for the first time since their six-game winning streak June 26-July 2.
"We didn't hit. We didn't pitch," manager Bruce Bochy said. "Shark's been throwing the ball so well. He was just off tonight."
The Giants' Nick Hundley hit his eighth home run in the seventh to end the shutout.
Sanchez tripled and scored on second baseman Joe Panik's error in the bottom of the seventh. Moncada followed with his fourth home run and the first of his career from the right side of the plate. After Abreu singled, Delmonico drove him in with his seventh home run.
Abreu's 29th homer, a solo shot, made it 1-0 in the first inning.
"He's always been an amazing hitter," Samardzija said of Abreu. "I got to see it firsthand. Dude was the first guy in the cage every day, first guy at the park. He takes it personally, loves to play the game. I respect Abreu up there amongst some other guys in this league."
Anderson smacked his own solo shot in the second inning for his 16th homer.
Sanchez added a three-run shot in the fourth inning, and Garcia joined the onslaught in the fifth inning with his 16th home run, extending his career-high season total and pushing the lead to 6-0.
The White Sox have hit six home runs in a game 13 times in franchise history, and they've finished with seven in a game twice.
NOTES: Giants C Buster Posey (finger) is expected to start at catcher Sunday against the White Sox. He was the team's designated hitter Friday and Saturday. He was hit by a foul tip Tuesday. ... The Giants are hoping OF Jarrett Parker (oblique) can play Sunday but were waiting to see how he got through baseball activities Saturday. ... Giants LHP Ty Blach will pitch out of the bullpen for a few days, similar to LHP Matt Moore's recent move, as the team tries to avoid too much downtime among its starting pitchers, manager Bruce Bochy said. ... Giants RHP Matt Cain (family issue) is expected to rejoin the team Monday for its series against the Dodgers. ... The White Sox plan to use RHPs Carson Fulmer, Dylan Covey and Mike Pelfrey and LHP David Holmberg to fill in for LHP Carlos Rodon (shoulder inflammation), who is shut down for the rest of the season, manager Rick Renteria said.
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