The Texas Rangers entered Tuesday night the best record in baseball and the most runs scored in the major leagues, but it was the Chicago White Sox who provided the fireworks in the series opener at U.S. Cellular Field. The South Siders exploded for 21 hits during a jaw-dropping 19-2 victory. The win moves the Sox to 43-37, while the Rangers fall to 50-31.
Chicago hit three homers in the first inning when Kevin Youkilis, Adam Dunn and Alex Rios all went deep. By the second, when the Sox extended their lead to 7-0, the rout was officially on.
Youkilis finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs. Dunn was 2-for-2 with two walks, three runs and two RBI. Rios added three hits and three RBI, while A.J. Pierzynski smacked Chicago's fourth and final homer in the fifth inning, his 15th of the season. Alexei Ramirez also had three hits and two RBI for Chicago.
The offensive outburst will steal headlines, but starter Chris Sale was also great. Sale went 7.1 innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run while striking out four.
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