Every time Chris Sale take the mound, the White Sox have to be more comfortable about their opportunity for a win then with the rest of their starting pitchers, that is precisely why Sale is their ace. But nobody usually expects them to win a close game 3-2 like this, especially because they have blown so many of them this season.
The scoring began right away in the top of the first inning, when Adam Dunn homered to left center, scoring himself and Jose Abreu. That was basically all she wrote for the majority of the game, because Sale was so dominant on the mound. He also was able to get some help from his defense in the bottom of the first, getting Hunter Pence out at home on a fielder's choice after he had hit a triple. All in all, Sale went 8 innings, giving up 4 hits, 2 walks, and striking out 12. He always is quite impressive and he didn't let that one down tonight.
But the bullpen for the White Sox has indeed been shaky, and Sale gave the ball to Jake Petricka to start the bottom of the ninth. Next thing that happened was the bases were loaded with no outs. He was fortunate that Giants second baseman Joe Panik grounded into a double play, scoring Pablo Sandoval to get two outs. Then Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a single scoring pinch runner Matt Duffy from third to tie the game. Petricka was replaced by Zach Putnam so that the White Sox could get out of the inning.
This is where Gordon Beckham's opportunity came in, in the top of the tenth inning, he recorded a single scoring right fielder Moises Sierra from third base. That would turn out to be the games final run as Putnam shut things down in the bottom of the tenth, only giving up a single to Buster Posey after two outs had already been recorded.
The White Sox are now 57-63, which puts them 8 games behind the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central. They definitely have their work cut out for them if they are to make a run for the postseason.