Written by Gethin Coolbaugh at UPI.com
Clearly, confidence isn’t an issue for Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale.
The four-time All-Star southpaw proved as much when he sauntered into Fenway Park, home of baseball’s most lethal offense, and shut down the Boston Red Sox.
“I think it just gives everybody a jolt,” Sale said after striking out nine to become the major leagues’ first 12-game winner as the White Sox quieted the Red Sox 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Of course, Sale already knew he was capable of keeping the Red Sox bats in check, but his teammates might not share his confidence.
Chicago (35-36) is in a free fall after starting the year 23-10, going 12-26 since and tumbling to the bottom of the American League Central.
Sale hopes his electrifying start will begin to turn the tables.
“You see something like that, and you just get on a roll and you try to keep that going,” said Sale (12-2), who allowed one run, four hits and a walk in seven innings as the White Sox won for just the second time in their last six games.
“It’s momentum, and you just try to do your part to keep it rolling.”
Todd Frazier hit his 20th home run of the season, Tim Anderson slugged his first career homer and Melky Cabrera drove in a run for the White Sox.
“It’s always special any time a guy hits his first homer,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said of Anderson’s milestone hit. “The guys were excited, everybody else was excited for him.”
Frazier has hit 19 or more homers in five straight seasons, including a career-high 35 last season with the Cincinnati Reds.
David Robertson came on with two on and two outs in the eighth but immediately forced an inning-ending groundout. He pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 18th save of the season.
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