Shin-Soo Choo said he cares much more about getting on base multiple times each game than circling the bases.
Then Alexander Alexeyev Capitals Jersey , he proceeded to do both.
Choo reached base for the 41st straight game with a first-inning walk, tying the major league high this season, and also hit one of Texas’ five Texas home runs in the first three innings of the Rangers’ 11-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Rougned Odor, Robinson Chirinos and Nomar Mazara homered in a seven-run second inning. Joey Gallo and Choo went deep in the third as the Rangers won for the 10th time in 12 games.
Choo matched the streak that the Philadelphia Phillies’ Odubel Herrera put together March 30-May 19.
”Honestly, I don’t feel anything special,” Choo said afterward. ”I’m just happy for winning the first game of a three-game series.”
Yovani Gallardo (2-0), making his third start since joining Texas on June 17, retired his first 10 batters and allowed all three runs on four hits and one walk in 7 1/3 seven innings. Gallardo struck out seven.
The 32-year-old who grew up in nearby Fort Worth is in his second stint with the Rangers after being released by Milwaukee in March and designated for assignment by Cincinnati in April.
Gallardo spent two months with Texas’ Triple-A Round Rock affiliate before being called up and credits the pitch clock in the minors for helping him.
”Grab the ball and go,” said Gallardo, who won 13 games for Texas in 2015. ”Not allowing myself and the hitter to think about things.”
Dylan Covey (3-3) allowed four homers and nine runs in 2 1/3 innings.
”They’re a hot team right now,” Covey said. ”Just not a good one for me.”
Choo greeted White Sox reliever Chris Volstad with his 15th homer of the season to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. He’s hitting .333 during the on-base streak with 52 hits and 38 walks.
The only Texas batter in the starting lineup without a hit was Adrian Beltre, whose 3,105 career hits rank 21st in major league history.
The White Sox reached their season’s halfway point at 28-53, one win better than the franchise’s worst record through 81 games.
”Hopefully, the guys are continuing to improve, catch the ball a little bit more consistently and just continue to learn and get better,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said.
PITCHING NO SWEAT FOR SOX’S DAVIDSON
Chicago outfielder Matt Davidson made his first pitching appearance since high school in the eighth inning. He retired all three batters he faced, closing with a strikeout of Odor, and was mobbed upon reaching the dugout.
”I know it sounds cheesy, but it was a dream come true,” Davidson said.
DRAW IN FIRST GAME OF STRIKEOUT DERBY
Gallo and Chicago’s Yoan Moncada each fanned twice. That allowed Gallo to maintain his one-strikeout lead over Moncada atop the major leagues, 116-115.
Rangers batters lead the American League in strikeouts with 783, followed by the White Sox with 774.
SHORT HOPS
White Sox 3B Yolmer Sanchez, who turned 26 on Friday, was held out of the lineup for precautionary reasons after sustaining a left quad contusion Thursday. Sanchez could return Saturday. … Choo’s on-base streak is the longest since Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman reached in 46 straight games in 2016. … Covey’s ERA in five career innings against Texas is 25.20.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (shoulder) was recalled from his rehab assignment because of discomfort during a side session following Sunday’s start. Gonzalez will be re-evaluated.
Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (right elbow) will make his second rehab start on Saturday for Double-A Frisco. Perez struck out nine and allowed only two singles in five innings Monday for Single-A Hickory.
UP NEXT
White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon (1-2) will seek his second consecutive win on Saturday. Rodon worked eight innings to match a career high and allowed just two runs to Oakland on Sunday. Rodon will face Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon (4-5), whose 244 career wins are one short of Dennis Martinez’s record for the most by a native of Latin America.
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Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin could have gotten something richer than the two-year, $15.5 million contract he signed with Milwaukee during the offseason.
It turns out the Brewers certainly cashed in.
Chacin (6-1, 3.32 ERA) Authentic Blake McLaughlin Jersey , who faces right-hander Trevor Williams (5-4, 4.38) and the Pittsburgh Pirates in a series opener Monday at PNC Park, is 6-0 with a 2.66 ERA in his past 12 starts, a career-high six-game winning streak.
The Brewers are 12-3 in his starts overall.
“He’s PITCHING,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said after Chacin’s last outing, when he gave up one run in six innings Wednesday and combined with three relievers for a 1-0 shutout against the Cubs in Chicago.
“He’s got some cunning and some craftiness out there, as well as good stuff.”
Chacin, who is 2-3 with a 4.76 ERA in seven career starts against Pittsburgh, introduced a split-fingered fastball Wednesday, switching to that after he struggled with command on his changeup.
His performance more than 2 1/2 months into the season would seem to make him quite a deal for Milwaukee. He has no regrets.
“I’ve never been a guy who wanted a lot of attention,” Chacin said. “I just want to go out there and do my job. I was happy to sign here because I saw the chemistry last year. I’m 30 years old, but I’ve been in the big leagues a little bit longer, and I really want to win. This is a good young team.”
Milwaukee (42-29) lost its second straight Sunday, 10-9 to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pittsburgh (35-36), which won two of three against Milwaukee in a series in early May, sits fourth in National League Central. The Pirates lost 8-6 Sunday to the Cincinnati Reds to end a three-game winning streak but still won a series after losing eight in a row.
“If somebody would have told me you’re going to lose eight series, you’d think you’re going to be horrible,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “We’re not horrible. We’re fighting. And we believe that our best baseball is in front of us. You’ve got to go play it, though.”
Second baseman Josh Harrison said that mindset has permeated the clubhouse.
“For one, nothing changes for us as far as our day-to-day grind, preparing,” he said. “But we also know what’s happened here the past couple weeks. Guys are still plugging away and coming ready to show up every day. … We’ve just got to continue bringing it every day.”
Williams is in need of a turnaround just like his club. He won his first three 2018 starts, but he is 0-2 with an 8.57 ERA in his past five starts. Most recently, he gave up three earned runs (eight total) and six hits in three innings Tuesday in a 13-8 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Williams is 0-1 with a 3.29 ERA in three career appearances, two of them starts, against the Brewers.
