Abreu homers, Sale cruises as White Sox top Rangers 9-2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Jose Abreu homered in a six-run second after missing three games with an injured finger, Chris Sale struck out a season-high 13 in seven shutout innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 9-2 on Wednesday night.

Tyler Flowers added three hits, including a home run, as the White Sox bounced back from a 15-2 loss in the series opener.

Sale (5-2) retired the final 14 hitters he faced and struck out Joey Gallo three times before Texas' top prospect homered again a night after his record-setting debut.

Nick Martinez (4-2) allowed nine hits and seven earned runs in 3 1-3 innings - his shortest outing of the season - as the Rangers' four-game winning streak ended.

Gallo homered into the upper deck in right field for the second time in two major league games. The Rangers said the shot off reliever Zach Duke made him the first Texas player to homer in his first two big-league games.

Abreu, who was the designated hitter to give the swollen right index finger on the first baseman's throwing hand more time to heal, added a run-scoring single in the fourth inning before getting pulled for a pinch hitter in the eighth.

Gallo, brought up from Double-A Frisco to fill in for third baseman Adrian Beltre while the four-time All-Star recovers from a sprained left thumb, was the designated hitter after setting a franchise record with four RBIs in his debut. But the lefty-on-lefty assignment against Sale was much tougher.

Chicago's ace threw Gallo seven straight sliders to get the first two strikeouts, then set his season high by getting the 21-year-old swinging on a changeup in the seventh. The Rangers had a season-high 16 strikeouts.

Sale, who has at least 10 strikeouts in four of his last five starts, gave up three hits and two walks in seven innings against a Texas lineup missing Prince Fielder for the first time this season and Josh Hamilton for the second straight night. Fielder got the day off, and Hamilton is nursing a tight left hamstring.

Abreu's ninth homer was a two-run shot to center after No. 9 hitter Carlos Sanchez had a two-run single and Adam Eaton drove in two when Texas left fielder Jake Smolinski misplayed a line drive for a double.

Flowers made it 9-0 with a two-run homer in the seventh off Tanner Scheppers. He had a single and double to finish a triple shy of the cycle a night after Gallo did the same thing.

TRAINER'S ROOM

White Sox: Abreu is likely to get a few more games at DH while his finger heals, with Adam LaRoche filling in at first.

Rangers: Hamilton said he had an MRI on Wednesday but didn't know the results. ... LHP Matt Harrison threw 79 pitches in a five-inning rehab stint for Triple-A Round Rock at Reno. He allowed two runs and five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

UP NEXT:

White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon (1-0) faces the Rangers for the first time in his eighth major league appearance and fifth start.

Rangers: RHP Yovani Gallardo (5-6) is 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his last four starts after starting the season 2-5 with a 4.19 ERA.