Smith, Garcia power White Sox past Orioles 10-7
CHICAGO -- Kevan Smith received a new shipment of bats on Monday. He may be sticking with the new lumber for some time.
Smith hit his first career home run, Avisail Garcia celebrated his 26th birthday with three RBI and the Chicago White Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-7 on Monday night.
The White Sox opened a four-game series on a strong note after dropping nine of 11 and handed the Orioles their fifth straight loss.
Smith set the tone with a two-run drive in the second against Wade Miley (2-4) and finished with a career-best three RBI.
"It was the first swing of the game I took with it and I was like all right, let's order about three dozen of those," Smith said of his new bats. "But it just comes when you least expect it."
Garcia added an RBI double in a four-run third and drove in two more with a single in the fourth to give Chicago an 8-2 lead.
Matt Davidson had an RBI single and solo homer. Melky Cabrera had three of Chicago's 14 hits. Jose Abreu singled, doubled and scored twice.
"I think everybody stays very positive," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of the big-hitting night. "I think people pick up on the energy that goes on when that happens."
Jake Petricka (1-0) pitched one-hit ball over 2 1/3 innings after Mike Pelfrey struggled, and the White Sox picked up the win after a 2-7 road trip.
Baltimore made a run late in the game, with Trey Mancini's three-run homer against Gregory Infante in the eighth cutting it to 10-6. But it wasn't enough after Miley failed to make it out of the third in his second straight start.
He gave up six runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings. The left-hander lasted just 2 2/3 against Pittsburgh last week, and his ERA has jumped from 2.82 to 3.97 in his past two starts.
"I (stunk)," Miley said. "There's really no answer."
Pelfrey lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits while walking five. He also hit a batter. Pelfrey got out of a bases loaded jam in the third when Chris Davis hit a fly to right.
Davis then left the game with a strained right oblique and was scheduled for an MRI in Chicago on Tuesday morning, manager Buck Showalter said.
RARE TALENT?
The White Sox drafted Missouri State's Jake Burger with the No. 11 overall pick, adding a power-hitting third baseman to their pipeline.
A St. Louis area product, Burger hit .328 with 22 homers and 65 RBI as a junior this season and was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. Chicago sees him as a player with the potential to hit 25 to 30 homers and has no plans to move him off third base, scouting director Nick Hostetler said.
Burger said he tried to mold his game after Paul Konerko's. And he scored bonus points before his interview with Hostetler and scout Garrett Guest when he told them he grew up rooting for the White Sox.
The Orioles drafted LHP D.L. Hall from Georgia's Valdosta High with the No. 21 overall pick.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: 3B Manny Machado hit two singles after missing four games because of an injured left hand and wrist. . All-Star closer Zach Britton (strained left forearm) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Monday in Sarasota, Fla. Because of uncertain weather in Sarasota, Britton is scheduled to throw in a live batting practice/simulated game situation Thursday at High-A Frederick. Britton remains on track to make a rehab start Monday at Short-A Aberdeen.
White Sox: RHP Nate Jones had a second MRI after symptoms of neuritis in his pitching elbow returned, putting his rehabilitation on hold. Jones did not accompany the White Sox on their nine-game trip to Detroit, Tampa Bay and Cleveland. ... OF Leury Garcia was to have X-rays after jamming his left middle finger twice on the bases at Cleveland on Sunday. Renteria was, however, encouraged that Garcia was able to squeeze things.
UP NEXT
Chicago and Baltimore send struggling starters to the mound with LHP Derek Holland (4-6, 3.99 ERA) starting for the White Sox and RHP Alec Asher (2-4, 4.35) going for the Orioles. Holland is 0-3 with a 10.38 ERA in his past three starts. Asher hasn't been much better in that stretch, going 1-2 with a 9.49 ERA.
