CHICAGO — Matt Davidson hit a two-run homer off Austin Pruitt in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox rallied for their first home win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday.
Davidson gave the White Sox the shot they needed after dropping their first five games at Guaranteed Rate Field. That matched Chicago’s worst home start since 1975 at Comiskey Park.
Davidson, who hit three home runs on opening day, struck out with the bases loaded to end the third. But he made up for it with a drive that just cleared the centre field wall for his fifth homer, after Jose Abreu singled.
James Shields settled down after a shaky start and exited to cheers with one out in the seventh. He held his former team to one run and four hits while striking out six and walking five — all in the first two innings.
Bruce Rondon (1-0) retired the side in the eighth. And Nate Jones converted his first save opportunity with a scoreless ninth.
Yonny Chirinos went 5 1/3 innings in his second straight scoreless start, scattering four hits while striking out five and walking one. The 24-year-old right-hander has thrown 14 1/3 scoreless innings over three appearances.
C.J. Cron hit an RBI double off the centre-field wall in the fifth. But Pruitt (1-2) gave up four hits in the eighth as the Rays fell to 3-9.
The White Sox had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, only to come away empty-handed.
Left fielder Mallex Smith deflected Omar Narvaez’s fly near the line off the thumb of his glove and threw wildly toward second, allowing the runner to reach third. Chaz Roe relieved Jose Alvarado and hit pinch hitter Leury Garcia.
But Narvaez got caught between home and third on what seemed to be a squeeze when Yoan Moncada pulled his bat back while taking a pitch for a strike. Catcher Jesus Sucre threw behind the runner, and Moncada then struck out to end the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier was in the lineup after missing back-to-back games because of a bruised right foot.
White Sox: Chicago held C Welington Castillo (sore right knee) out of the lineup, though he was available after leaving Tuesday’s game. Narvaez started in his place.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Jake Faria (0-1, 14.29 ERA) looks to bounce back from a rough start as the Rays return home to open a three-game series against Philadelphia on Friday. Faria got pounded by Boston for a career-high eight runs in 12/3 innings on Saturday. RHP Vince Velasquez (1-1, 5.19) pitches for the Phillies.
White Sox: Chicago opens a four-game series at Minnesota on Thursday, with RHP Lucas Giolito (0-1, 6.17) starting for the White Sox and RHP Jose Berrios (1-1, 3.29) for the Twins. Giolito gave up five runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Detroit on Saturday.
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