Chris Sale retired the first 17 batters he faced coming off the disabled list and gave up just one hit in six innings, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday to open a four-game series.
In his first start since April 17, Sale (4-0) showed no rust coming back from a flexor muscle strain in his pitching arm, which forced the first DL stint of his career.
The left-hander struck out 10 of the 19 batters he faced and threw 54 of his 86 pitches for strikes. He was perfect through 5 2/3 innings before Zoilo Almonte lined a single to center -- one of only two balls New York hit out of the infield against Sale.
Mark Teixeira hit a two-run single off Ronald Belisario in the ninth inning, but Belisario struck out Alfonso Soriano to end the game and pick up his second save.
[SportsNetwork.com]
