Sheets plates 3 in happy Baltimore homecoming

BALTIMORE -- The good feeling of returning to your home state and playing Major League Baseball in a stadium you grew up in was special for Gavin Sheets.

The 26-year-old White Sox outfielder was born in Lutherville, Md. -- 15 miles north of Oriole Park -- and he attended the Gilman School in Baltimore. His dad, Larry, played for the Orioles in the 1980s.

Sheets' homecoming party took center stage Wednesday night in a clutch three-hit, three-RBI performance that -- coupled with a bounce-back outing from No. 1 starter Lucas Giolito -- led the Chicago White Sox to an important 5-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

"[To] get thrown into a big at-bat your first at-bat, it's always nice to get us on the board and get things going early,” Sheets said. “Plus, you give a pitcher like [Giolito] two runs, it goes a long way. It was important getting those runs there and obviously it was nice to get the night going like that."

Sheets drilled a two-run single with the bases loaded in the first and beat out a grounder to shortstop for a bases-loaded single in the seventh as the contingent of his hometown family and friends rose to their feet in jubilation.

"My dad was sitting right behind us so I can hear him the whole at-bat,” Sheets said. “I can see them all throughout the stadium; especially out in right field, I got a bunch of friends out there. I was on this field and [in] these clubhouses, and at these games a lot. So it's a lot of fun coming back here."

Larry Sheets played for the Orioles from 1984-89, then Gavin grew up watching games at Oriole Park throughout his childhood.

"I didn't get to enjoy it as much last year because it was only my second or third week in the big leagues,” Sheets said. “This year I'm taking it all in, kind of embrace it a little more, enjoy it a little bit more. Having family and friends here that you grew up with and in the stadium that you grew up in is awesome."

Giolito (10-7) was able to get early swings and misses with his elusive slider, changeup and fastball mix to pitch at least six innings for the 10th time this season. He worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

"I felt very much more like myself tonight,” Giolito said. “Like from a rhythm standpoint, mentally, just really freed up and tried to have conviction behind every pitch. Seby [Zavala] did a really good job sequencing. Maybe only shook him off to a different pitch like once or twice. We had a nice game plan and a good rhythm. Just keep building off of that."

The defense came up big for the White Sox, especially at the hot corner, where Yoán Moncada made two brilliant plays to prevent extra-base hits.

Following Giolito’s exit in the seventh, reliever Kendall Graveman got into hot water when he loaded the bases by walking Rougned Odor. But Jorge Mateo sent a hot-shot grounder to Moncada, who stepped on third and threw to first for a thrilling inning-ending double play.

"Everything about [that play] was outstanding, especially the significance, two-run game,” manager Tony La Russa said. “When he goes to his right, he goes to his right as good as anybody in the league. And he makes that awkward throw as good as anybody. It was huge."

The win was the fifth time this season Giolito had pitched at least six innings while allowing one earned run or fewer.

"I was a little frustrated because I kind of put us into a tough spot in the seventh and then we had the bases-loaded situation, very close game still, and I was a little bit nervous,” he said. “I don't get nervous when I'm playing, but once I don't have that control, it will start to kick in.

“You can always count on [Yoán] to just get the job done over there, Gold Glove-caliber third base. Having that clean defense, guys making the routine plays, the spectacular plays, it goes a long way. It leads to winning."

Luis Robert suffered a bone bruise on an awkward swing in the eighth. La Russa does not believe it will keep his talented hitter out for the series finale. With a single in the seventh, Robert now has a 14-game hitting streak.

"That's the diagnosis,” La Russa said. “It's a bone bruise and you tap it, 'ouch,' but it doesn't make it worse. It may stay sore but it's not like you're tweaking a muscle or something."