Heim homers a night after controversial play at the plate, Rangers beat White Sox

CHICAGO (AP) — Jonah Heim put his hands over his ears as he rounded the bases.

There was no challenging this play.

Heim hit a three-run homer a night after he was involved in a controversial play at the plate, and the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Wednesday.

Ezequiel Duran also connected as Texas won for the fourth time in five games. Martín Pérez (7-3) pitched seven effective innings in his first victory in a month.

“Today was a good day. Good Rangers win. Martín threw the ball well. Offense came out good, and bullpen did their job," Heim said. “So happy flight.”

The AL West leaders rebounded nicely after a frustrating 7-6 loss Tuesday night. Chicago scored the winning run in its three-run eighth when Heim was called for illegally blocking the plate in a replay review that overturned umpire D.J. Reyburn's out call.

“I mean last night, that's as tough of a loss as we've had with that tough call that went against us,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “But this team has just shown time after time that it can bounce back and put that behind them.”

Bochy called the ruling “really, really confusing for the catchers.”

“It is something that probably is going to have to get discussed more, and get a little more clarity to it,” Bochy said.

Heim provided his response in the rubber match of the three-game set. After hitting his 10th homer, lifting Texas to a 6-1 lead in the fifth, Heim made the motion that managers use for replay challenges as he rounded the bases.

“I talked to some of the guys. I thought it would be funny," Heim said. “Anything we can do to have fun around here we're going to do it.”

Andrew Vaughn hit a solo homer for the slumping White Sox, and Michael Kopech (3-6) lasted just four innings in his shortest start of the season. Chicago has dropped eight of 11.

Kopech is 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA in his last seven starts, but he hasn't won since May 24.

“I’m a little embarrassed about how I’ve been pitching,” he said. “I know what this team needs and I know that I’ve not been giving that.”

The White Sox jumped in front on Eloy Jiménez's RBI double in the first, but Nathaniel Lowe hit a tying double for the Rangers in the third and Duran drove in Heim with his ninth homer in the fourth.

Pérez allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in his first win since May 24. The left-hander is 4-2 with a 5.98 ERA in 10 road starts this year and 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in five home outings.

“Just trying to stay focused, throw my pitches around the zone and try to attack the hitter,” he said.

WORTH NOTING

Touki Toussaint pitched four hitless innings for Chicago in his first game since he was claimed off waivers from Cleveland on Tuesday. The White Sox added Toussaint to the active roster and right-hander Nick Padilla was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. ... White Sox infielder Elvis Andrus went 0 for 3 with a walk in his 2,000th major league game.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: C Mitch Garver rested for the second straight game. Bochy said Garver will be behind the plate for at least one game in the team's weekend set against the Yankees. ... LF Travis Jankowski departed because of some hamstring tightness, but Bochy said it was a precautionary move.

White Sox: C Yasmani Grandal (right knee soreness) was scratched. He is day to day. ... LHP Garrett Crochet (shoulder inflammation) said he thought he was experiencing some normal soreness, but then he had trouble bouncing back — leading to the reliever's stint on the injured list. “Hoping to get back out there in two to three weeks and ready to rock,” he said. ... SS Tim Anderson (sore right shoulder) was out of the starting lineup for the fourth straight game. Manager Pedro Grifol said Anderson could start on Friday. ... 3B Yoán Moncada (lower back inflammation) threw on the field before the game.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Following an off day, Heim and company open a three-game series at the New York Yankees on Friday night. The Rangers haven't won a series of any length at Yankee Stadium since June 2017.

White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (5-4, 3.54 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of weekend set against Boston. RHP Brayan Bello (4-4, 3.49 ERA) takes the mound for the visiting Red Sox.

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