Cease, Mercedes lift White Sox over slumping Orioles 5-1

CHICAGO (AP) — Dylan Cease struck out 10, Yermín Mercedes homered and drove in three, and the Chicago White Sox handed the Baltimore Orioles their 10th straight loss, 5-1 on Thursday night.

Cease (3-1) threw a career-high 111 pitches and allowed one earned run over six innings. He stumbled following a 19-minute rain delay before first pitch, allowing a single and hitting a batter before retiring his next eight and 15 of the next 18.

“I’m always trying to take something out of it to improve,” Cease said. “You leave with a win and you put the team in a good position.”

Baltimore's Trey Mancini was hit by a pitch in the first inning and left with a bruised right elbow. X-rays were negative. The first baseman entered Thursday second in the majors with 42 RBIs a year after being diagnosed with colon cancer.

Billy Hamilton gave Chicago a 2-1 lead with an RBI single grounded up the middle against Dillon Tate (0-2) in the sixth.

Jose Abreu doubled in a run and Mercedes plated two more with a double in the seventh.

AL Central-leading Chicago bounced back after losing to St. Louis on Wednesday and still has not lost consecutive games at home this season.

Baltimore left-hander Bruce Zimmermann allowed a run and six hits over five innings after allowing five earned runs in three innings against the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

The 10th straight loss matched the Orioles’ longest skid since dropping 10 in a row from June 12-21, 2019.

“Right now we’re finding out about our players,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re facing really good competition and struggling offensively some nights. It is what it is right now.”

Mercedes hit his seventh home run of the season in the second inning, drilling Zimmermann's 3-0 fastball...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Cease-Mercedes-lift-White-Sox-over-slumping-16209312.php