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Chris Sale ties record with eighth straight double-digit strikeout start

Chris Cwik
·Staff writer

Chicago White Sox ace has been unhittable over his last couple starts. That's not really hyperbole, either, Sale has been beyond fantastic lately.

He proved as much Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Sale allowed one run on six hits over eight spectacular innings. He issued just one walk and struck out 12 during the outing.

That last number is significant. Tuesday marked the eighth straight start in which Sale posted double-digit strikeouts. That ties a major-league record.

Sale joined Pedro Martinez as the only other pitcher to complete the feat. That's quite the achievement.

Sale doesn't seem to be slowing down, either. He's been particularly dominant in June.

Unfortunately for the Sox, Sale's dominance has not resulted in as many wins as you might expect.

That's not Sale's fault, of course. He's playing with one of the worst offensive clubs. The White Sox have talent in the lineup, sure, but very few of their players have hit this year.

That was the case Tuesday, as Sale had to leave the contest with a no-decision. The game was tied 1-1 when Sale departed.

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That one run was scored by ... you guessed it ... Sale.

In the third inning, Sale picked up his first major-league hit, a single to left field. He was brought in on a Jose Abreu single later in the frame.

Once again, another great Sale start was wasted by the White Sox. At this point, he's got to be wondering "what else do I have to do to get a win around here." He even added a hit and scored a run Tuesday. That qualifies as going above and beyond.

The White Sox may be awful this season, but Chris Sale cannot be blamed for their failures. If the team doesn't shape up soon, though, they may cost their ace a potential Cy Young award.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik