April 19--DETROIT -- White Sox left-hander Chris Sale found a much more pleasant ending Saturday against the Tigers than he did in his previous start at Comerica Park.
The Sox ace improved to 2-0 after allowing two earned runs on four hits over six innings in a 12-3 victory over the Tigers. He afterward thanked a suddenly resurrected Sox offense -- led by home runs from Adam LaRoche and Jose Abreu -- for taking "all of the pressure off."
"These are the guys we knew we had the whole time," Sale said. "I don't know what I did for Rochie, but every time I pitch he's hitting homers. And we know what we have in Abreu. That (grand slam) home run was the difference maker. He opened the game up."
In Sale's last start in Detroit in September, he hit Victor Martinez with a pitch and caused benches to clear in an apparent dispute over perceived sign-stealing. The Sox said Friday they didn't expect a carryover to 2015, and neither did Sale.
"Bygones are bygones," Sale said. "None of that stuff is helping us today."
Sale was more focused on making his second start since returning from a fractured right foot and ankle sprain. He said he felt "great," even better, no doubt, because he shut down a formidable Tigers lineup. Martinez, historically tough on Sale, went 0-for-3 Saturday.
"It's definitely not a treat for anybody," Sale said of the Tigers. "You just have to bear down."
Third endorsement: Sox manager Robin Ventura said he likes how comfortable Gordon Beckham has looked at third base while starting in place of Conor Gillaspie against left-handed pitchers this season.
The six-time Gold Glove third baseman said he has seen shades of the "Gordon phenomenon" at third from when Beckham was a young, highly touted player.
"He gets off the ball well," Ventura said. "He has a strong arm. He made some great plays yesterday, not only just gloving, but the decision-making. There's something to playing that side of the infield, where as soon as it's hit, you have to react."
Beckham said there is a different feel to the Sox clubhouse in his second stint after coming on board as a utility player in the offseason, and the early results have been promising that he could contribute differently. He is hitting .333 in his new role.
"You have to be a little more aggressive on defense (at third), but I think that kind of mindset, an aggressive mindset, helps on the offensive end as well," Beckham said. "At second base, I feel like you can get a little bit lazy because you have more time."
In his start Friday, Beckham made an aggressive play to catch a runner at the plate and save the Sox a run in the third inning and then started an inning-ending double play. He also made a diving catch of a popped-up bunt in the seventh inning.
"I tip my hat to him," starter Jeff Samardzija said." It's tough to come off the bench like that and play like that. I think we'll see a lot more of him."
Missed call: Sox broadcasters Ken "Hawk" Harrelson and Steve Stone interrupted Ventura's pregame media session to say they made the wrong call Friday by announcing the Tigers' Nick Castellanos was safe on a ninth-inning tag play at second base.
Stone said that they did not have the same slow-motion technology as the Tigers' broadcast to judge the play properly.
"Our truck does not have that technology," Stone said. "So although we had the same angle as Detroit did, when they slowed it down, it showed the tag on the guy's foot. ... All we showed was he missed it."
