CHICAGO (AP) – Austin Meadows homered and set a career high with four hits, Avisail Garcia connected against his former team and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 10-5 on Tuesday.
The Rays pounded Ervin Santana (0-1) and improved to 9-3, their best start in nine years. They also extended a club record by clinching their fourth straight series victory to start a season.
Meadows helped break open a game that lasted 3 hours, 56 minutes. He singled and scored in the first, hit a two-run drive in the second and added an RBI single during a two-run fourth in which Tampa Bay chased Santana. He also walked with the bases loaded in the ninth.
Garcia smacked a solo homer in the second and finished with three hits, giving him five in the past two games. The White Sox opted not to offer him a contract in the offseason, parting ways after 5{ years, and he signed with Tampa Bay.
Brandon Lowe chipped in with a sacrifice fly in the first and a solo homer in the third. Charlie Morton (2-0) went five innings, allowing two runs and three hits.
Santana got tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings after the White Sox purchased his contract from Triple-A Charlotte. The two-time All-Star missed most of last season with Minnesota because of an injured right middle finger. He signed a minor league contract in February.
Yoan Moncada knocked a two-run homer in the third. Tim Anderson had two hits, including an RBI single in a three-run eighth. But with Chicago trailing by three, pinch-hitter Adam Engel struck out swinging at a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to end that rally.
