CHICAGO (AP) — Jonah Heim hit a three-run homer a night after he was involved in a controversial play at the plate and the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Ezequiel Duran also connected as Texas won for the fourth time in five games. Martín Pérez (7-3) pitched seven effective innings in his first victory in a month, and Will Smith got two outs for his 14th save.
The AL West leaders bounced back nicely after a frustrating 7-6 loss Tuesday night. Chicago scored the winning run in its three-run eighth when Heim was called for illegally blocking the plate in a replay review that overturned umpire D.J. Reyburn’s out call.
A day later, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy called the ruling “really, really confusing for the catchers.”
“It is something that probably is going to have to get discussed more, and get a little more clarity to it,” Bochy said.
Heim provided his response in the rubber match of the three-game set. After hitting his 10th homer, lifting Texas to a 6-1 lead in the fifth, Heim put his hands over his ears as he rounded the bases in a reference to the motion that managers use for replay challenges.
Andrew Vaughn hit a solo homer for the slumping White Sox, and Michael Kopech (3-6) lasted just four innings in his shortest start of the season. Chicago has dropped eight of 11.
The White Sox jumped in front on Eloy Jiménez’s RBI double in the first, but Nathaniel Lowe hit a tying double for the Rangers in the third and Duran drove in Heim with his ninth homer in the fourth.
Pérez allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in his first win since May 24. The left-hander was 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in his previous four starts.
WORTH NOTING
Touki Toussaint pitched four hitless innings for Chicago in his first game since he was claimed off waivers from Cleveland on Tuesday. The White Sox added Toussaint to the active roster before the game, and right-hander Nick Padilla was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: C Mitch Garver was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. Bochy said Garver will be behind the plate for at least one game in the team’s weekend set against the Yankees.
White Sox: C Yasmani Grandal (right knee soreness) was scratched. He is day to day. … LHP Garrett Crochet (shoulder inflammation) said he thought he was experiencing some normal soreness, but then he had trouble bouncing back — leading to the reliever’s stint on the injured list. “Hoping to get back out there in two to three weeks and ready to rock,” he said. … SS Tim Anderson (sore right shoulder) was out of the starting lineup for the fourth straight game. Manager Pedro Grifol said Anderson could start on Friday. … 3B Yoán Moncada (lower back inflammation) threw on the field before the game.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Following an off day, Heim and company open a three-game series at the New York Yankees on Friday night. The Rangers haven’t won a series of any length at Yankee Stadium since June 2017.
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (5-4, 3.54 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of weekend set against Boston. RHP Brayan Bello (4-4, 3.49 ERA) takes the mound for the visiting Red Sox.
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