SEATTLE (AP) - The Chicago White Sox offense staked Derek Holland to big lead before he took the mound, and Holland shut down the Seattle Mariners.
Yolmer Sanchez had a two-run single in Chicago’s five-run first inning, Holland pitch eight strong innings and the White Sox beat the Mariners 8-1 Sunday.
“The offense, when they start as hot as they did in the first inning like that, you’ve got to make sure you shut the door right away,” Holland said.
Holland (4-3) gave up a run and six hits while striking out six and walking two. He finished his longest outing of the season by striking out the side in the eighth inning.
Seattle starter Chris Heston (0-1), recalled from Triple-A Tacoma before the game to make his first major league start since Oct. 2, 2015, was roughed up for seven runs and seven hits in three innings. He walked the bases loaded in the first before giving up four straight hits.
Tim Anderson had three hits and two RBIs for the White Sox, including his fifth home run - a solo shot in the third inning - and Matt Davidson added two hits and two RBIs. Sanchez’s single in the first extended his hitting streak to 12 games, tying a career high.
On Saturday, the White Sox scored four runs in the first to start a 16-1 victory. They got off to an even better start Sunday.
“Fortunately for us today and yesterday, it’s been going well,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. “We’ll continue to have to scrap and push - this isn’t an everyday occurrence.”
It was a welcome turnaround for the White Sox, who finished the series with three straight wins after losing four in a row, and seven in a row on the road.
“We’ve been swinging the heck out of the bats,” Anderson said. “We’ve just got to keep it going and have fun with it. When we’re really swinging the bats we can do some damage.”
Heston became the 11th pitcher to start for the Mariners this season, the most in the major leagues. In his only other appearance this year, he gave up five runs on seven hits in two innings of relief against Detroit on April 25.
“I think you go out there and put a little more pressure on yourself than you need to, instead of just going out there and doing what got you here,” Heston said. “I think I kind of fell into that today, I was just trying to do more than I needed to do.”
Nelson Cruz hit his 11th home run in the seventh for the Mariners, who have lost three straight.
LET’S TURN TWO
The White Sox turned four double plays, equaling the team’s season high - set Saturday.
TRAINERS ROOM
White Sox: OF Leury Garcia was back in the starting lineup after missing two games. Garcia was hit on the elbow in Thursday’s series opener.
Mariners: 1B Danny Valencia missed his second straight game after hurting his left wrist on a slide in Friday’s game, and had an MRI Sunday. First baseman Daniel Vogelbach was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma and started at first base in his place. … Seattle manager Scott Servais said LHP James Paxton, on the DL with a left forearm strain, will probably have a rehab assignment at Double-A Arkansas later this week. If all goes well Paxton could return after the Mariners’ upcoming eight-game road trip. … OF Mitch Haniger (strained right oblique) will also likely start a rehab assignment this week.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (3-4, 4.29) starts in Chicago’s series opener at Arizona. Gonzalez is 0-4 with a 6.94 ERA in his last four starts.
Mariners: Seattle has a day off Monday. RHP Christian Bergman starts Tuesday at Washington. Bergman is coming off the best outing of his career, when he held Oakland scoreless over 7 1/3 innings with a career high nine strikeouts.
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