Cease wins for 1st time in almost 2 months as White Sox cool off Braves 8-1

Updated Jul. 16, 2023 5:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — The Chicago White Sox stopped a pair of Braves' streaks: games with home runs and series wins.

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 White Sox beat Atlanta 8-1 on Sunday.

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 won 11 consecutive series.

“That was just kind of one of those that got away from us," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "Their pitching was pretty good. Their bullpen has got some nice arms in it. It was just a little too much to try to overcome today.”

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.

“It just shows we can play with anybody,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said.

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.

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.

“To me, that's probably the best team in baseball,” Grifol said of the Braves. “They don't have any weaknesses, in my opinion.”

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.

ALLARD LEAVES WITH INJURY

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. Snitker and an athletic trainer visited the mound in the second following five hits by the the White Sox in the inning.

“He threw a pitch and had some tingling in his fingers,” Snitker said, adding Allard was scheduled for an MRI. “We'll find out after that what's going on.”

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.

BULLPEN DEBUT

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.

Snitker said Soroka, whose last start was on July 5, when he allowed five hits and no runs in 4 2/3 innings in an 8-1 win at Cleveland, needed to pitch. Snitker wouldn't say if Soroka could be used again in relief.

“We wanted to get him some work and I think it was good for him to work out of the bullpen,” Snitker said. “I think he did a fine job. He threw the ball extremely well. ... I think we leave everything open, quite honestly.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: RF Eloy Jiménez left in the second inning with left groin tightness. Grifol said he doesn't expect Jiménez to be available “in the next few days, for sure. ... It doesn't look good for the next three, four, five days.” 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 Wednesday against RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-3, 5.16) and the New York Mets.

Braves: Following a day off on Monday, RHP Bryce Elder (7-2, 2.97) is scheduled to start in Tuesday night’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have not announced their starting pitcher.

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