Samardzija struggles as White Sox lose 12-3 to Yankees

CHICAGO (AP) -- Jeff Samardzija's second pitch landed in the stands in center field, and it just got worse from there.

Samardzija was knocked out in the fifth inning, and the Chicago White Sox lost 12-3 to the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Alexei Ramirez and Geovany Soto homered for Chicago, which had won eight of 10. Melky Cabrera contributed an RBI single and an outstanding diving catch on Chris Young's liner to left in the sixth.

But Samardzija's rough outing was too much for the White Sox to overcome.

"He was up, maybe a little erratic around the strike zone," manager Robin Ventura said. "It's a tough lineup to go through when you do that."

Samardzija (8-6) was tagged for nine runs, matching a season high, and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. Samardzija, who is eligible for free agency after the season, walked two and hit two batters in his first start since the White Sox decided to keep the right-hander at Friday's non-waiver trade deadline.

"I put too many guys on base for free, for sure," Samardzija said. "Especially against a lineup like that, you've got to get the outs and make them put it in play."

Jacoby Ellsbury and Mark Teixeira homered, helping the AL East-leading Yankees close out a 6-4 trip to Minnesota, Texas and Chicago. Stephen Drew added three hits and four RBIs.

"Outstanding job by our offense today," manager Joe Girardi said.

New York also got a lift from Ivan Nova (4-3), who pitched six innings of five-hit ball in his third consecutive victory. Nova's previous start on Monday at Texas was cut short by arm fatigue, a condition he contributed to his comeback from Tommy John surgery in April 2014.

Chicago was coming off an 8-2 victory on Saturday night and averaged seven runs in its previous 10 games, but Nova allowed just one run on Cabrera's RBI single in the sixth.

"Feeling good was something I was expecting after the fatigue I had last time out," Nova said. "I got to get out because I was a little bit tired and being able to go six innings and feel good, that's real important."

Ellsbury hit a drive to center in the first for his first leadoff homer of the season and No. 12 for his career. He had a sacrifice fly in New York's five-run fourth inning and a run-scoring groundout in the seventh.

Teixeira led off the fifth with his 29th homer, a 415-foot drive to right on a 3-1 pitch. The slugger connected from both sides of the plate in New York's 13-6 victory in the series opener on Friday night and had five homers in the last four games of the road trip.

"It kind of got out of hand quickly," White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton said. "They bring some heavy lumber over there."

CARROLL OUT, THOMPSON IN?

Scott Carroll replaced Samardzija in the fifth and allowed three runs and three hits while pitching the final 4 1-3 innings. The right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after the game, possibly clearing the way for the promotion of outfielder Trayce Thompson on Monday. Thompson is the brother of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson.

WORTH NOTING

White Sox slugger Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the first.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: Reliever Diego Moreno (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the 15-day DL. Girardi said he will be examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad on Monday. ... RF Carlos Beltran returned to the lineup after missing Saturday's game with a sore left foot.

White Sox: Ventura said RHP Nate Jones is doing well on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. Jones had Tommy John surgery a year ago. "You want him to get to a point where you can get him multiple innings and extend him somewhat," Ventura said. "Because that's going to happen here, it always does."

UP NEXT

Yankees: Following a day off, RHP Masahiro Tanaka (7-4, 3.80 ERA) gets the ball for the Yankees when they begin a three-game series against the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana (6-9, 3.52 ERA) goes for his third straight win when Chicago opens a three-game set against Tampa Bay on Monday night. RHP Nathan Karns (6-5, 3.37 ERA) also tries for his third consecutive victory for the Rays.

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