Strong outing by Lopez helps White Sox avoid series sweep

ARLINGTON, Texas — Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was just what the White Sox needed to salvage a win in what had been a horrendous series against the Texas Rangers.

Lopez, arguably the team’s best starter, beat the heat and helped the Sox beat the Rangers 10-5 on a sweltering Sunday afternoon after two night games in which the Sox lost 11-3 and 13-4 at Globe Life Park. With a taxed bullpen craving rest, Lopez even went out to get one more batter in the seventh inning with his pitch count at 107 in 100-degree heat.

“I’m always ready for one more inning,’’ said Lopez, who threw a career-high 114 pitches in 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball and left with an 8-2 lead.

Avisail Garcia singled, doubled twice and tripled, and Jose Abreu, putting a .212/.256/.363 hitting line in June behind him, drove in three runs with a groundout, triple and sacrifice fly while going 2-for-3 with an intentional walk. Matt Davidson was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Against lefty Cole Hamels in the fourth, the Sox scored five runs with, in succession, an RBI double by leadoff man Tim Anderson, RBI single by Garcia, single by Abreu and two-run double by Matt Davidson. Kevan Smith capped the inning, which started with Adam Engel reaching on a dropped third strike, with an RBI single.

Lopez (4-5) struck out six, walked three and spread around seven hits.

“I liked it all,’’ Lopez said of his performance. “All of my pitches were working. I felt good despite the hot weather, but I was focused throughout.’’

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Closer Joakim Soria, summoned earlier than usual after Jace Fry and Xavier Cedeno allowed the Rangers to bring the tying run to the plate, recorded two outs in the eighth, including a strikeout of Adrian Beltre, then finished up in the ninth with his 14th consecutive scoreless appearance.

The Sox tacked on two runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Davidson and Charlie Tilson’s squeeze bunt scoring Abreu.

Robert to DL, Jimenez hurt

White Sox prospects continue to endure bad luck. Class A Winston-Salem center fielder Luis Robert, MLB Pipeline’s 25th-ranked prospect in baseball, was put on the seven-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb. Also, Class AAA Charlotte outfielder Eloy Jimenez, the No. 3 prospect, left the game Sunday with an unknown injury after swinging in his second at-bat.

Robert, who sprained the same thumb during spring training and was out two months, apparently jammed it against the outfield wall. The Sox do not believe the injury is significant.

His injury log is filling more lines on his record than the Sox would care to see. He suffered knee and ankle injuries in his first season in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 after signing a $26 million bonus. Then he was hurt making a feet-first slide into second base in a Cactus League game in March.

Jimenez was playing in his 12th game since being promoted to Charlotte. He’s 12-for-41 (.293) with two home runs and four RBI. His OPS is .846.

Leury exits with sore finger

Left fielder Leury Garcia, who jammed the ring finger on his left hand sliding into first base Saturday night, started but left the game in the fifth inning. He was replaced by Tilson. Garcia is day-to-day and will be re-evaluated Monday when the team is in Cincinnati.