CHICAGO (AP) - After going more than a week without a win, the Chicago White Sox had to wait an extra 2 minutes before officially snapping a six-game losing streak.
Yolmer Sanchez singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth to score Tyler Saladino and give the White Sox a 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
The play at the plate was close and went to replay. It was finally confirmed - Saladino got under the tag of catcher Austin Hedges - and the White Sox could celebrate.
“It was a rough week for us,” Sanchez said. “But we battled every day and our heads were up.
“It was a good win for us.”
Saladino went 2 for 3 with two runs scored and Avisail Garcia homered for Chicago.
Wil Myers, Manuel Margot and Allen Cordoba all had solo homers for San Diego.
David Robertson (2-0) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the win.
Brad Hand (0-3) took the loss.
Saladino started the rally with a lead-off walk. He was sacrificed to second and scored on Sanchez’s single to center. Margot charged the ball, fired home and just missed extending the game.
“Great slide,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. “I think that’s what we were talking about in the dugout. What a fantastic slide.”
Trailing 3-2, Chicago took the lead in the fifth. Kevan Smith singled and Saladino followed with a double. Leury Garcia tied the score with an RBI groundout. One out later, Melky Cabrera singled to center to give the White Sox a 4-3 lead.
That’s where it stayed until the eighth when Myers tied it with a 433-foot blast to left-center after being knocked down on the previous pitch (a 97 mph fastball) from Tommy Kahnle.
“I thought Wil’s at-bat where he hits the home run was a heck of an at-bat,” San Diego manager Andy Green said. “A guy stands him up at 99, he digs back in and hits the next pitch out. You love seeing things like that.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RHP Jarred Cosart (right hamstring strain) could be activated for the series finale on Sunday. “I’m not going to commit to that entirely right now,” Green said before the game. “He’s feeling good.”
White Sox: RHP James Shields (right lat strain) has been sidelined more than three weeks, but a timetable for his return hasn’t been announced. “He’s continuing to progress and I’ll leave it at that,” Renteria said.
GREAT START II
Margot hit Chicago starter Dylan Covey’s first pitch of the game over the fence in right field for a quick lead. It was the second straight game the Padres homered on the first pitch. Matt Szczur started Friday’s series opener with a blast off Miguel Gonzalez.
The last team to homer on the first pitch in consecutive games was the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 19-20 in 2007. Alfonso Soriano hit both homers.
“That was pretty cool,” Myers said. “I was really pumped for Manny, obviously for Szczur yesterday. I thought that was pretty cool to start the game that way.”
REALLY SMALL BALL
Chicago’s Jose Abreu is not known for his base running, but used his legs to manufacture a run in the fourth. Abreu reached on an error by third baseman Ryan Schimpf and then rounded the bases on three wild pitches by Trevor Cahill.
“They were curveballs, and I think I threw a changeup, too,” Cahill said of the wild pitches. “I was trying to strike guys out on too good of a pitch instead of trusting. That was a tough inning, but I got through it and was good enough to continue on for a bit.”
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Jered Weaver (0-4, 6.81 ERA) still is looking for his first win of the season, but is 12-2 with a 1.89 ERA in 15 career starts against Chicago.
White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana (2-5, 4.46 ERA) starts the final game of the home stand on Sunday. He is tied for the most losses in the majors.
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