ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — That’s one way to give your bullpen a rest.
Chris Sale’s complete-game, two-hit shutout lifted the White Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at Tropicana Field, their fifth straight win. Sale struck out nine and needed only 105 pitches for the ninth complete game of his career. He faced only three over the minimum and got the win after Melky Cabrera gave the White Sox the lead with a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning.
Sale cruised for six-plus innings before Tampa Bay finally put together a two-out rally in the seventh.