Lenyn Sosa hits 3-run homer as Chicago White Sox rally past Colorado Rockies 10-5

DENVER - Lenyn Sosa capped Chicago’s seven-run eighth inning with a three-run homer, and the White Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 10-5 on Sunday to avoid a sweep.

The White Sox used a 14-hit attack to improve to 6-11 in August. Andrew Vaughn had three hits, including his 16th homer. Andrew Benintendi also finished with three hits and scored two runs.

"It was great to see our guys come back and not stop playing," manager Pedro Grifol said. "We were down 5-2 and it was good to see these guys put together some really good at-bats."

After Dylan Cease struggled, Bryan Shaw, Aaron Bummer (4-2) and Gregory Santos combined for 4 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.

Charlie Blackmon homered and tripled for Colorado, which outscored Chicago 25-6 in winning the first two games of the weekend set.

Trailing 5-3 after seven, Chicago loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Benintendi and Vaughn and a walk to Luis Robert Jr. Yoán Moncada then hit a tying two-run double.

After pinch-hitter Carlos Pérez popped out and Yasmani Grandal was walked intentionally, Oscar Colás made it 7-5 with a two-run double against Justin Bruihl. Sosa connected for his second homer against Justin Lawrence.

"I was fortunate enough Pedro gave me a chance to be the hero of the game," Colás said through an interpreter. "Lefty against lefty is always difficult but I was sitting on one pitch — the slider. He threw me the slider and I was able to hit the ball hard and fortunate to come through."

Colorado wasted a solid performance by Chris Flexen, who pitched six effective innings in his best performance since he was claimed off waivers last month. He permitted two runs, one earned, and seven hits.

"These guys have welcomed me from the beginning — the coaching staff, everybody," Flexen said. "So that transition has been pretty easy."

Flexen was in position to get the win before Chicago rallied in the eighth against Matt Koch (2-1).

Blackmon, who missed 53 games after breaking his right hand June 10 in Kansas City, came off the injured list Monday. He went deep in the third for Colorado’s first hit against Cease. He also hit a leadoff triple in the fifth, sparking a three-run inning.

"Charlie’s been a catalyst for us," manager Bud Black said. "Another homer today, a triple. He’s been good since he’s been back, not surprising. Charlie’s a ballplayer."

WORTH NOTING

Plate umpire Clint Vondrak ejected White Sox shortstop Elvis Andrus in the top of the sixth inning with Robert leading off.

"It was just balls and strikes," Grifol said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Tyler Kinley was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday, with right elbow inflammation. RHP Tommy Doyle was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque. Kinley returned Aug. 1 after missing a year while recovering from Tommy John surgery. "It’s a little bit of extra inflammation, didn’t recover as well as we would have liked, so we decided, let’s get ahead of this," Kinley said.

White Sox: OF Eloy Jiménez is possible to return when Chicago opens a seven-game homestand on Monday night. Jiménez left Wednesday’s game at the Cubs with groin tightness and was placed on the paternity list prior to the series in Colorado.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP Touki Toussaint (1-4, 4.44 ERA) will open a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Rockies: LHP Ty Blach (1-1, 4.14 ERA) will start in the first of three games at Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.