White Sox trounce Giants 13-4, complete sweep
SAN FRANCISCO -- Lucas Giolito gave up just three hits in six innings to help the Chicago White Sox beat the San Francisco Giants 13-4 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.
The White Sox had a game of threes of sorts: Selby Zavala had three hits and three RBIs, Gavin Sheets drove in three and Leury García added three hits. Chicago is now 7-1 all-time at Oracle Park.
Joc Pederson had two hits, including an RBI double, for San Francisco, which began the day a season-high 8 ½ games out of first place. The Giants have lost 10 of 13.
Giolito's best start in more than a month enabled manager Tony La Russa to rest his weary bullpen that has been without closer Liam Hendriks since June 14. The right-hander fanned the Giants' first four batters (three swinging), walked Wilmer Flores with one out in the second, then struck out the next three.
Giolito pitched out of a two-out, two-on jam in the fourth, then set down the final three batters in the sixth after Pederson's RBI double.
Chicago took a 2-0 lead when Luis Robert blooped a broken-bat single to right off Sean Hjelle (0-1) in the third.
Zavala's RBI single in the fourth made it 3-0, and the White Sox loaded the bases to open the fifth. Sheets then lined a 2-2 pitch to left-center to clear the bases.
Hjelle, the Giants' 6-foot-11 reliever who joins Jon Rauch as the tallest players in major league history, allowed eight hits and six runs — four of them earned — in two innings.
EXTRA BASES
Giants backup catcher Austin Wynns started the game behind the plate and ended it on the mound as a pitcher. Wynns threw 16 pitches and allowed two hits and two runs. … The White Sox also swept the Giants at Oracle Park in 2008. … San Francisco has scored nine runs in the last 39 innings.
GLOVE WORK
Third baseman Yoán Moncada made a twisting, falling grab of Brandon Belt's high pop-up in the fourth inning. Second baseman Josh Harrison followed with an over-the-shoulder catch to rob Evan Longoria of a hit in the sixth.
A YEAR APART
The Giants fell to 40-37, a 10-game difference from 2021 when San Francisco bolted to a 50-27 start on its way to a franchise-record 107 wins.
ROSTER MOVES
The Giants optioned infielder Jason Vosler to Triple-A Sacramento and recalled Hjelle and C Yermín Mercedes.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: OF Adam Engel (right hamstring strain) and C Yasmani Grandal (back spasms) ran the bases before the game.
Giants: RHP Anthony DeSclafani will have right ankle surgery next week, likely ending his season. Manager Gabe Kapler is hopeful DeSclafani will return for the start of 2023. … IF Thairo Estrada was placed on the COVID-19 list with symptoms but has not tested positive.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Carlos Rodón (7-4, 2.62) goes against the Diamondbacks and former San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner (3-8, 3.63) on Monday in Arizona.