Hamilton, Abreu homer as White Sox complete sweep of Orioles

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Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada, third from left, celebrates with teammates at the end of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, May 29, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

CHICAGO – Billy Hamilton hit a solo home run, Jose Abreu had a two-run homer, and Lance Lynn pitched five scoreless innings to help the Chicago White Sox complete a doubleheader sweep of the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday with a 3-1 victory.

In the opener, Jake Lamb and Yoán Moncada homered, with Abreu driving in three runs in a 7-4 win.

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Chicago has won five of its last six games after getting swept by the New York Yankees last weekend.

Even with major injuries to Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert the White Sox are a season-high 11 games over .500. They have received major contributions from reserves such as Hamilton and Lamb during this stretch.

“I think you’re seeing we have a deep roster," said Chicago starter Lance Lynn, who won the second game. "Even though we have some guys that are injured and are going to be big for us when we are able to get them back and get them in there every day, we are seeing guys that are true professionals that work every day and are ready to go whenever their name is called and they are ready to perform.”

Meanwhile, the Orioles have lost 12 consecutive games for their longest losing streak since dropping 13 in a row from Sept. 17-30, 2009.

“This is hard, there is no doubt about it," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “This is very, very challenging. This is very difficult, this is frustrating, embarrassing at times. We want to be able to compete in the big leagues and we are finding out about our guys, that's the bottom line. We are.”

But Hyde added that despite the chance to evaluate players being a positive, the Orioles are struggling against teams with superior talent.

“You want to put a competitive product on the field,” Hyde said. “And when we're facing good clubs that are built to win with starting pitching and that are good, we have a tough time scoring runs.”

Lynn (6-1) became the fifth White Sox pitcher to go 5-0 in May, and the first since teammate Lucas Giolito did it in 2019. Lynn allowed just three hits while striking out seven and not allowing a walk.

Liam Hendriks pitched a perfect seventh for his 12th save by striking out the side in order. He also recorded a save in the first game with a perfect ninth. He's the first White Sox pitcher to record two saves in a doubleheader since Bobby Jenks did it against Boston on Sept. 4, 2010.

“Having him and the deepness of our bullpen in front of him gives us a real chance to stay in contention and really be serious about October,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said.

Freddy Galvis homered twice and Maikel Franco hit a solo shot for the Orioles in the first game, but Baltimore managed only one run in the second game with Stevie Wilkerson getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Orioles starter John Means (4-1) was outdueled by Lynn. He allowed three runs and five hits while striking out four and allowing two walks. He came into the game with a 1.79 ERA.

Lynn was dominant, but caught a break in the fifth. Chance Cisco hit a two-out single and Ryan McKenna followed with a double down the right-field line. The ball bounced out of play, making it a ground-rule double, which stopped Cisco from easily scoring. Lynn ended the inning by blowing a fastball by Cedric Mullins.

Hamilton homered with two outs in the fourth, and Abreu added a two-run shot in the fifth. It was Hamilton's first of the season and the first since he homered off the White Sox on Sept. 27, 2020, as a member of the Cubs.

The home run even had La Russa joking Hamilton needed to slow his home run trot.

“I don't hit home runs. Like I told Tony just then, ‘Listen, if that ball drops, I will at least be on third,” Hamilton said. “You can’t slow down unless you know it's gone.”

Hamilton also showed off his glove in the sixth. White Sox reliever Aaron Bummer walked the bases loaded with no outs. Franco hit a liner to center off reliever Codi Heuer and Hamilton made a diving catch to save at least two runs. Heuer plunked Wilkerson to allow a run, but bounced back by striking out Ryan Mountcastle and forcing Sisco into a groundout.

In the first game, Chicago starter Dallas Keuchel (4-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. Evan Marshall pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Hendriks threw a perfect seventh for the save.

Baltimore starter Matt Harvey (3-6) struggled again in the first game, allowing five runs and five hits, and three walks. He had six strikeouts. It was his fifth straight loss, and he has failed to go at least five innings in any game during that stretch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: Trey Mancini didn't play in either game. He was hit by a pitch in Thursday's loss and left with a bruised right elbow. X-rays were negative. He's day to day.

White Sox: OF Adam Eaton was out with a hamstring injury. He's day to day. ... LHP Jace Fry (microdiscectomy) worked one scoreless inning with two strikeouts Friday in his first rehab game with Charlotte.

UP NEXT

LHP Keegan Akin (0-0) is scheduled to start for Baltimore in Sunday’s series finale against Giolito, who'll look to lead Chicago to a four-game series sweep.

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