Cease wins for 1st time in almost 2 months as White Sox cool off Braves 8-1
By Charles Odum, The Associated Press on July 16, 2023.
ATLANTA (AP) – Dylan Cease won for the first time in nearly two months, Luis Robert Jr. had four hits that included a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat Atlanta 8-1 on Sunday to stop the Braves’ streak of 11 consecutive series wins. Cease (4-3) had eight straight no-decisions since beating Cleveland on May 23, the most within a season in White Sox history. He allowed one run and three hits in five innings. Matt Olson had a run-scoring single in the third, increasing his NL-leading RBIs total to 77. Atlanta had two on and one out in the fifth before Cease struck out Austin Riley and retired Olson on a flyout. Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer and Jesse Scholtens finished a five-hitter and ended the Braves’ streak of consecutive games with home runs at a franchise-record 28. Atlanta had been 7-0 in the decisive third games of three-game series this season. Chicago had 14 hits, its most since June 28, and took two of three for its first series win since June 23-25 against Boston. Jake Burger hit a two-run homer and Robert had three singles before hitting a two-run homer off Michael Soroka in the sixth, Robert’s 27th home run this season. Andrew Benintendi had three hits and scored three runs. Braves left-hander Kolby Allard (0-1) was pulled with left shoulder tightness after allowing four runs and seven hits in 1 1/2 innings. Manager Brian Snitker and an athletic trainer visited the mound in the second following five hits by the the White Sox in the inning. Chicago took a 4-0 lead in the second. Andrew Vaughn singled and scored on Burger’s 461-foot homer to center field, Chicago’s longest home run this season. Burger hit the go-ahead homer in Saturday night’s 6-5 win. Soroka made his first relief outing since 2016 at Class A Rome. He entered in the fifth and allowed two runs and three hits with three strikeouts in three innings. TRAINER’S ROOM White Sox: RF Eloy Jiménez left in the second inning with left groin tightness. Gavin Sheets pinch hit for Jiménez and remained in the game in right field. Braves: LF Eddie Rosario (right hamstring tightness) was given the day off after leaving Saturday night’s game. Sam Hilliard filled in and was 0 for 2 in his first start since May 23. UP NEXT White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (6-5, 3.44) is scheduled to start when Chicago opens another series against an NL East team on Tuesday at RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-3, 5.16) and the New York Mets. Braves: RHP Bryce Elder (7-2, 2.97) is scheduled to start in Tuesday night’s series opener against visiting Arizona and Zach Davies (1-5, 6.37). ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 19-18
