White Sox pummel Pirates 10-1 to open second half

Luis Robert Jr. and Edgar Quero each had two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 10-1 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Quero’s solo home run with two outs off Pirates starter Bailey Falter (6-5) kickstarted a three-run first inning and Robert hit his 10th home run in the fourth to begin the rout.
The offensive onslaught backed up a quality start from Jonathan Cannon (4-7), who gave up one run on five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out two over seven innings.
Chicago opened the second half with a win after losing back-to-back games before the All-Star break. Pittsburgh was held to five hits and suffered its ninth loss in its past 10 games. The Pirates had their seven-game winning streak at home snapped.
Robert, who has been the subject of trade speculation, reached base four times, scored three runs and made a tremendous diving catch in left field to steal a double from Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the third inning.
Andrew Benintendi and Colson Montgomery each also had two hits and two RBIs.
Pittsburgh tallied its lone run in the bottom of the fourth when Oneil Cruz drove in Bryan Reynolds, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Cruz carried over his momentum from the All-Star break when he hit a 513-foot home run and finished as a semifinalist in the Home Run Derby. On Friday, Cruz led the Pirates with two hits and stole his 30th base.
Chicago broke the game open with two more runs in the sixth and four in the seventh. The latter frame was highlighted by a bases-clearing double by Michael A. Taylor, which helped the White Sox tie their second-highest run total this season.
Falter allowed four runs on six hits and one walk and struck out two over four innings.
Braxton Ashcraft struggled in relief as well, as he walked four batters, including Benintendi and Robert to open the sixth. He gave up a single to Lenyn Sosa to load the bases. Montgomery then drove in two runs off Ashcraft when he bounced a high-chopper off first baseman Spencer Horwitz and down the right field line to put the White Sox ahead 6-1.