American League Game Summary - Chicago at Texas
(Saturday, April 7th)
Final Score: Chicago 4, Texas 3
Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Alex Rios hit a leadoff homer against Joe
Nathan in the top of the ninth inning Saturday, lifting the Chicago White Sox
to a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers.
Paul Konerko went 2-for-4 and knocked in the other three White Sox runs while
Matt Thornton (1-0) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to
pick up the win.
Chicago bounced back from a 3-2 loss in the opener of this three-game series
on Friday.
Mike Napoli, Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre knocked in runs for the Rangers
but Andrus made the final out in a 1-2-3 ninth that got Hector Santiago his
first MLB save.
Both starting pitchers gave up three runs and struck out five batters in six
innings. Jake Peavy allowed eight hits and a walk for Chicago while Derek
Holland gave up three hits and three walks for Texas.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said it was good to get his first win and
praised the effort from his starting pitcher.
"Jake pitched great and had energy, everything we asked of him," said Ventura.
After getting a save the day before, Nathan (0-1) came in for Mike Adams to
start the ninth Saturday and got ahead of Rios 1-2 before the White Sox right
fielder stroked a high fastball over Josh Hamilton's glove at the center field
wall for the 4-3 lead.
"I threw a pitch that was not exactly where I wanted it. I wanted it a little
bit more out of the zone," said Nathan. "At the same time I have to give him
credit. I didn't think he would be looking for that."
It was the only run scored in the last six innings. Earlier, the teams went
back and forth.
Alejandro De Aza singled to leadoff the game, stole second base and scored on
Konerko's base hit through the left side to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead.
The Rangers tied it in the second inning after Michael Young hit a one-out
single, went to second on Nelson Cruz's walk and scored on Napoli's single.
Holland's error let De Aza on in the third, but the Rangers starter picked him
off first base. Still, the White Sox took a 3-1 lead on Konerko's two-run
double, which came after Holland walked Brent Lillibridge and Adam Dunn.
The Rangers followed with a two-run third to tie the game again, sparked by
Ian Kinsler's leadoff triple. He scored on a single by Andrus, who went to
third after a balk and Hamilton's single. Beltre's sac fly to right made it
3-3.
Game Notes
Holland, coming off a 16-5 season, was pitching for the first time since
signing a five-year, $28.5 million contract...Texas out-hit the White Sox 10-5
but had two errors.
04/08 00:38:22 ET

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