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Chicago White Sox held to 1 hit in loss to Baltimore Orioles

Austin Voth and four relievers combined on a one-hitter, Jorge Mateo had a heated exchange with Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech after getting nailed by a pitch and the Baltimore Orioles beat Chicago 4-1 on Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Voth, normally a reliever, went three innings in his second start. He gave up an RBI double to Jake Burger in the second for the Sox’s lone hit and issued two walks. The Orioles struck out eight.

Joey Krehbiel (3-3) worked 2 ⅓ perfect innings before Bryan Baker and Cionel Pérez each got four outs. Jorge López pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances, helping the Orioles win their third straight and fourth in five games.

“They’re pitching with emotion,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “They’re pitching with energy. They’re pitching with a chip on their shoulder. It’s fun to watch them. They have great stuff, but they’re made right too.”

After outscoring the Washington Nationals and the White Sox by a combined 11-0 over the previous two games, the Orioles cruised in this one too.

The only real drama occurred in the second inning after Kopech (2-4) retired the first two batters. He had a 1-2 count when he nailed Mateo near the left shoulder and upper back with a similar pitch to the one that got the Sox’s Josh Harrison on Thursday.

Mateo had some words for Kopech, though he didn’t think he was hit on purpose. The benches and bullpens emptied, but no punches were thrown. Hyde argued with crew chief Marvin Hudson, and both teams were issued warnings.

Mateo stole second and came around on a single from Richie Martin to make it 2-0.

“I don’t know what happened there, what were they thinking. But I really don’t think it was intentional,” Mateo said through in interpretor.

Why was he angry?

“In the heat of the moment, it’s normal,” he said. “People start talking, saying stuff. You feel something. You feel uncomfortable. But it’s normal in the heat of the moment.”

Kopech insisted he wasn’t trying to hit Mateo, particularly with with two outs and two strikes on a hitter who came into the game with a .198 average.

“Some guys hopped the rail and started talking,” Kopech said. “That’s why things escalated.”

Cedric Mullins led off the game with a bunt single and scored on a wild pitch in the first. Prized rookie Adleyrutschman doubled in the fourth and scored on a balk. Austin Hays added an RBI double in the eighth to extend the lead to 4-1.

The White Sox dropped their third in a row, and Kopech lost his second straight start. The right-hander went six-plus innings, allowing three runs and three hits.

  • White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada (right hamstring strain) might be ready to return from the 10-day injured list when he is eligible Tuesday, manager Tony La Russa said. … Center fielder Luis Robert was back in the lineup after being held out Thursday because of an unspecified injury.

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