CHICAGO (AP) — Cedric Mullins had three hits and four RBIs, including a tiebreaking single in Baltimore's three-run eighth inning, and the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 on Sunday.
Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored three times as Baltimore rallied for the win in the rubber game of the weekend series. The Orioles erased a shaky start by Grayson Rodriguez with a 12-hit attack.
Chicago scored each of its four runs in the first. Gavin Sheets hit a three-run homer, and Jake Burger added a solo drive.
But that was it for the White Sox on a cool, damp afternoon, and their pitching faltered once again in the team's fourth loss in five games. Dylan Cease issued five of the team's seven walks, running its total to 26 walks for the series.
Mike Baumann (2-0), Austin Voth and Félix Bautista combined for four innings of one-hit ball in relief of Rodriguez. The rookie right-hander allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked two in his third big league start.
Baltimore’s rally began in the fourth. After Mateo’s sacrifice fly, Terrin Vavra reached on an error on Burger at third base. Mullins then made it 4-3 with a two-run triple to left.
“I was drawing a lot of walks in a short time span, which means the eye was working,” Mullins said. “It was just a matter of the bat trying to catch up. Today, I was able to do so.”
Henderson scored on a wild pitch by Cease in the sixth, tying the game. Cease departed after retiring Ryan Mountcastle on a foul popup to first, stranding the bases loaded.
Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde was pleased with how his club “chipped away” at Cease in dreary conditions after a long rain delay.
"Not easy to do," Hyde said. “I think the guy finished second in the (American League) Cy Young (voting). It was a 4-0 game. It was 30 degrees outside, it felt like.”
Kenyan Middleton got three outs for Chicago before lefty Aaron Bummer (0-1) allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in the eighth.
Mullins lined a single to center, scoring Mateo. Anthony Santander capped the big eighth for Baltimore with another RBI single.
SLOW START
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Cease would “probably tell you he wasn't the sharpest" on Sunday, “but he was good.”
Chicago dropped to 6-10. It is still looking for its first series win this season.
“I just think we got to minimize baserunners," Grifol said. “They had a lot of traffic the last three games, but we also had leads in three games. So I’m not going to sit here and say we’re close."
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: INF Ramón Urías (head) has a contusion behind his left ear and remains in concussion protocol after leaving Saturday’s loss after being hit by a pitch. Hyde said Urías woke up feeling better Sunday. ... LHP Keedan Akin is expected to rejoin the team from the paternity list on Tuesday.
White Sox: INF Hanser Alberto (strained left quad) was placed on the 10-day injured list. OF Adam Haseley was called up from Triple-A Charlotte, and INF/OF Nick Solak was designated for assignment. ... OF Andrew Benintendi and C Yasmani Grandal got the day off.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (0-0, 9.49 ERA) starts Tuesday’s series opener at Washington against Josiah Gray (0-3. 4.32 ERA).
White Sox: RHP Lance Lynn (0-1, 7.31 ERA) starts Monday against Philadelphia RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1, 4.02 ERA).
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