Flexen and DeJong help the White Sox beat the Rays 4-1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Chris Flexen pitched six sharp innings, Paul DeJong homered again and the Chicago White Sox avoided their seventh sweep this season by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday night.

The AL-worst White Sox (9-28) won the season series 4-2. Chicago swept a three-game home set with the Rays from April 26-28.

“Clean baseball all the way around.” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “Opportunistic hitting. Really good pitching.”

Flexen (2-3) struck out eight while surrendering one run and three hits. The right-hander tossed five scoreless innings in a 9-4 win over Tampa Bay on April 26.

“He has kind of had our number,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s kept us off balance quite a bit. Mixed very well against us and kind of given us fits.”

Flexen walked one.

“Just trying to be consistent,” Flexen said. “Every time I go out there I’m always trying to put us in position to win. My game is command the zone, try to minimize the walks.”

Michael Kopech, the third Chicago reliever, handled the ninth for his third save in four chances, finishing a four-hitter.

DeJong hit a two-run drive off Aaron Civale (2-3) in the fifth, lifting the White Sox to a 2-1 lead. He also went deep during Tuesday night's 5-1 loss.

Civale was pulled in the fifth inning for the fourth consecutive start. The right-hander was charged with two runs and five hits.

"It’s probably more coincidence than anything," Cash said.

He has pitched five innings or less in 13 of 18 starts since being acquired from Cleveland at last year’s trade deadline.

Civale was replaced by Kevin Kelly with two on and two outs. Andrew Vaughn then reached on an infield single, loading the bases, but Eloy Jiménez struck out looking.

Sixth-inning RBI singles by Bryan Ramos and Tommy Pham lifted Chicago to a 4-1 lead.

Ramos is hitting .357 (5 for 14) in five games since being called up from Double-A Birmingham on Saturday. His double in the two-run fifth hit off the wall in left and just missed becoming his first big league homer.

“Two more pushups, and that's a homer,” Ramos said with a smile.

Flexen retired his first nine batters before Yandy Díaz opened the fourth with a single and scored on Isaac Paredes’ double. All three Tampa Bay hits off of him came in the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: Grifol said OF Luis Robert Jr. (right hip flexor strain) has bounced back from a setback earlier this week. ... INF Danny Mendick (lower back) is nearing a minor league rehab assignment.

Rays: RHP Ryan Pepiot (bruised lower left leg) was placed on the 15-day IL. Cash and Pepiot both believe it is a short-term injury. ... Closer Pete Fairbanks (nerve-related hand issues) is set to have his second outing Thursday night with Triple-A Durham.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP Erick Fedde (2-0, 3.46 ERA) and Cleveland RHP Ben Lively (1-1, 2.08 ERA) are Thursday night’s starters.

Rays: RHP Taj Bradley (right pectoral strain) will make his season debut Friday night against the New York Yankees.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Chicago White Sox's Bryan Ramos celebrates his double off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Isaac Paredes lines an RBI double off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Flexen during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Flexen delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale delivers to the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago White Sox's Eloy Jimenez celebrates with first base coach/outfield coach Jason Bourgeois (38) after hitting a single off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Diaz celebrates his single off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Flexen during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago White Sox's Chris Flexen pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago White Sox's Paul DeJong watches his two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale waits for a new baseball as Chicago White Sox's Paul DeJong runs around the bases after his two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley has a paper cup stuck to his hat as a prank by teammates during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago White Sox's Paul DeJong (29) celebrates with Bryan Ramos (44) after DeJong hit a two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale, left, gets taken out of the game against the Chicago White Sox by manager Kevin Cash, right, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.

Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.

“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”

Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.

Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.

“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”

New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.

“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”

With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.

“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”

Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.

“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”

Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.

Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.

“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”

Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.

Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.

Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)