Nicky Lopez, Martin Maldonado and Andrew Benintendi drove in runs and three pitchers combined on 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief as the Chicago White Sox topped the visiting Cleveland Guardians 3-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight win.
After needing 28 games to earn their first six victories, the White Sox have won six of eight.
The bullpen relay of Tim Hill (1-0), Jared Shuster and John Brebbia walked one and struck out four. Brebbia pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.
Andrew Vaughn singled twice for Chicago, which outhit Cleveland 7-4.
Cleveland right-hander Triston McKenzie handcuffed the White Sox after early struggles. He walked the first two batters he faced but escaped unscathed with two strikeouts and a groundout. In the second, McKenzie (2-3) yielded three straight hits that led to a pair of Chicago runs.
Lopez collected his first RBI of the season when he lined a run-scoring double to right field. Lopez advanced to third base on an error by Cleveland’s Will Brennan and scored when Maldonado hit a single one batter later.
McKenzie allowed the first two White Sox to reach base in the third but recovered again, setting down the side to begin a stretch of 14 consecutive batters retired. He ended his night with a strikeout of Maldonado and spaced two runs, one earned, and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, with three walks and five strikeouts.
White Sox starter Mike Clevinger was far more effective in his second outing of the season. After lasting just two-plus innings Monday, the right-hander gave up one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five against zero walks while throwing 52 of his 73 pitches for strikes.
The Guardians drew to within one run when Josh Naylor blasted an opposite-field solo home run to left field with two outs in the fourth. It marked the first time that Cleveland had scored against Chicago starting pitching in the series; Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet tossed six scoreless innings on Thursday and Friday.
Benintendi provided insurance for Chicago with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
