Shields gets first win in 2 months, White Sox top Rays 7-1
CHICAGO (AP) - James Shields pitched six effective innings for his first win in two months, Justin Morneau and Carlos Sanchez each hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 on Monday night.
Shields (6-18) allowed one run and seven hits, using six strikeouts to help wriggle out of several jams and help Chicago win its third straight.
The right-hander hadn't won since July 26, when he pitched scoreless ball into the eighth against the crosstown Cubs. Shields was 0-6 in his previous 10 starts and is 4-11 since a trade to Chicago from San Diego.
Morneau and Omar Narvaez each had two hits. Jose Abreu had two hits and an RBI.
Tampa Bay's Drew Smyly (7-12) allowed three runs and seven hits over five innings in losing for the first time since July 18 at Colorado.
Curt Casali drove in the lone run off Shields with a single in the fourth. Jaff Decker had three hits for Tampa Bay, which hit into four double plays and has dropped four straight and seven of eight.
Four White Sox relievers combined for three scoreless innings, thanks in part to Abreu throwing out Mikie Mahtook at the plate in the eighth.
Shields began his career with Tampa Bay in 2006 and pitched seven seasons with the Rays. He's 4-11 with the White Sox, who acquired him from San Diego on June 4.
Morneau homered in the seventh and Sanchez connected in the eighth.
OH, K's
The Rays struck out only six times Monday after becoming just the fifth big league team to strike out 23 or more times in a game in a 3-2, 10-inning loss to Boston on Sunday.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash, a backup catcher over eight seasons with five teams, was asked if he thought of picking up a bat himself. He quipped, "I would have fit right in."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier sat out after being hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the second inning of Sunday's game and leaving. X-rays were negative, and Cash said he was just "giving Kiermaier a day."
White Sox: OF Adam Eaton missed his third game after crashing into a padded outfield wall in Cleveland on Friday night. Eaton said "the biggest thing was the hip." There's no timetable for his return. ... IF Tyler Saladino (back discomfort) sat out his fourth straight game.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay RHP Alex Cobb (1-1, 6.16) faces White Sox ace lefty Chris Sale (16-9, 3.19) on Tuesday night. Sale will try to match his career high of 17 wins set in 2012, but he's just 2-7 since peaking at 14-2 after beating Houston on July 2.