Martín Maldonado, known more for his defense than his hitting, surprised everyone by hitting a three-run homer. Eloy Jiménez also contributed with a two-run shot. This win was much needed for the struggling Chicago White Sox, who snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Scoring nine runs was a season-best for the White Sox, who have had a tough start to the season with just four wins out of 26 games. Their current record is the worst they’ve ever had at this point in the season.
Maldonado, who hasn’t been hitting well lately, also got a single along with his home run. Despite his struggles, he remained positive and focused on helping the team. Flexen pitched well for the White Sox, delivering five scoreless innings. Although he walked a couple of batters, his performance was praised by the manager.
Tommy Pham made a solid debut for the White Sox, playing center field and getting two singles. He had recently signed a minor league contract and spent some time in Triple-A Charlotte to prepare.
Paul DeJong also contributed with two hits and an RBI, while Danny Mendick and Nicky Lopez both hit doubles and had two hits each.
The Tampa Bay Rays didn’t fare well, losing for the fourth time in five games. Curtis Mead had two hits and an RBI for them, and René Pinto, Jose Siri, and Amed Rosario each drove in a run.
Rays’ starter Zach Eflin struggled, giving up five runs on nine hits and four walks. He hadn’t allowed any runs in his previous two starts.
Eflin acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating that they need to perform better in all aspects of the game, including defense, offense, and pitching.
Despite the loss, Eflin recognized that the White Sox were a big-league team with talented hitters.
In other roster moves, the White Sox recalled outfielder Rafael Ortega from Charlotte and optioned outfielder Dominic Fletcher. They also designated left-hander Bailey Horn and outfielder Kevin Pillar for assignment.
