Paul DeJong homers as the White Sox beat the Rockies 11-3 for their 3rd straight win

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul DeJong homered and drove in three runs, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 11-3 on Saturday for their third straight win.

Luis Robert Jr., Korey Lee and Lenyn Sosa also homered for Chicago in its first double-digit scoring game of the season. The White Sox finished with 12 hits in a matchup of baseball's worst teams.

Chicago went ahead to stay with three runs in the sixth inning. Robert tied it at 3 with a 470-foot solo shot to center against Cal Quantrill. Andrew Vaughn was hit by a pitch with one out, and DeJong followed with a drive to left for his 15th homer.

The White Sox (24-61) got rolling against Quantrill after falling behind 3-0, starting with Sosa's two-run shot in the fifth.

“You know, 11 unanswered runs,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “We put some balls in the seats and that's what it's all about.”

Robert, an All-Star last season with 38 homers, is beginning to round into form after being sidelined by a right hip flexor strain. He went deep for the second time in three games, and he also made a nifty sliding catch in center on Ryan McMahon's liner in the second.

“Right now I'm feeling pretty good,” Robert said through a translator. “We haven't been consistently, but hopefully this is a good time for us and we can be more consistent from now on.”

Quantrill (6-6) was charged with five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings on a warm, breezy day.

“Just ran out of juice a little bit at the end and made a couple of bad pitches and unfortunately got burnt on them," Quantrill said. “I thought I threw the ball pretty well for the first couple times through the lineup.”

Nolan Jones and Brendan Rodgers homered for Colorado in its fifth consecutive loss. Rodgers had two of the Rockies’ four hits and scored twice.

Jones’ two-run shot in the fifth lifted Colorado to a 3-0 lead. But Chicago got two back in the bottom half when Nicky Lopez doubled and scored on Sosa’s third homer of the season.

The White Sox (24-61) broke it open with a season-high six runs in the eighth. DeJong singled in Corey Julks, and Lee had the big blow — a three-run drive to left-center against Riley Pint for his eighth homer.

Tanner Banks (2-2), the first of three Chicago relievers, got four outs for the win.

White Sox rookie Jonathan Cannon permitted three runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings in his seventh career start.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: OF-DH Charlie Blackmon was reinstated from the 10-day injured list, and OF Sean Bouchard was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. Blackmon was sidelined by a strained right hamstring. The four-time All-Star went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his return to the lineup.

White Sox: OF Gavin Sheets, who left Thursday’s game with a bruised left heel, was back in the lineup as the DH. Grifol said Sheets could be ready to return to the outfield by Tuesday in Cleveland.

UP NEXT

The Rockies send LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 9.55 ERA) to the mound on Sunday against White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (6-6, 3.05 ERA) in the series finale.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon watches his popup during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon watches his popup during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee and relief pitcher Justin Anderson celebrate the team's 11-3 win over the Colorado Rockies following a baseball game Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr., left, celebrates his home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Cal Quantrill, as catcher Jacob Stallings waits for play to resume in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox's Paul DeJong watches his RBI single during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The Nashville Predators made a huge splash when NHL free agency opened Monday by signing Stanley Cup champion forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault as part of a jaw-dropping series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention across hockey.

Stamkos left Tampa Bay after 16 seasons, two Cup titles and two additional trips to the final to sign a four, year $32 million contract with Nashville.

“By no means did I ever envision that a day like today would happen, but it did,” Stamkos said. "It was definitely a bitter pill to swallow when it really started to materialize that it wasn’t going to work in Tampa.”

Stamkos turned to the Predators, made his decision and got a call from Marchessault asking if he was signing with them too, worried it was one or the other. “He said, ‘No Stammer, I’m coming, too,’” Stamkos recalled.

Marchessault got $27.5 million for the next five seasons less than 13 months since earning playoff MVP honors in leading Vegas to its first championship. The two will have company: Defenseman Brady Skjei signed with Nashville for seven years and $49 million, and Scott Wedgewood came in at $3 million for two years to back up franchise goaltender Juuse Saros.

General manager Barry Trotz called it “a massive day for the future of our organization.” The Predators at $111.5 million became the first team to surpass $100 million committed to new players in free agency since the Florida Panthers five years ago started building toward the championship they won last week.

“It’s huge because it’s a statement, I think, for the rest of the league that these players will come to Nashville,” Trotz said. “These players see what we’re doing with our franchise. We have lots to offer, and we’re very determined to win. We’re committed to that.”

Marchessault was an original member of the expansion Golden Knights in 2017 and helped them reach the final twice and win the Stanley Cup last year. He is coming off scoring a career-high 42 goals and, like Stamkos, was one of his team's most recognizable faces.

Within the first three hours of free agency, teams had committed over $900 million in contracts, a result of the salary cap jumping to $88 million — the first big increase since before the pandemic.

“A lot of cash," Toronto GM Brad Treliving said. “There were some really good players available. You saw teams be aggressive, and lots of players changed teams.”

Jake Guentzel signed a $63 million, seven-year contract with Tampa Bay after they acquired his rights from Carolina over the weekend, opting to pay him big money at age 30 rather than Stamkos at 34.

“Things just didn’t work out in Carolina, and then I heard Tampa might be trading for my rights, so obviously I got really excited because everyone hears how good of a team and good of a spot this is,” said Guentzel, who will count $9 million against the cap through 2031. “The pedigree behind Tampa Bay, the winning culture — just a lot of high-end players that really make it intriguing to come to Tampa.”

— Fresh off helping Florida win the Stanley Cup, defenseman Brandon Montour signed a $50 million, seven-year contract with Seattle, and the Kraken added former Golden Knights center and ‘23 champion Chandler Stephenson for $43.75 million over the same length of time. The Panthers’ exodus included Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz to Toronto, Ryan Lomberg to Calgary and Kevin Stenlund to Utah.

— Vancouver signed former Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk for $38.5 million over seven years.

— Boston signed center Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract worth $54.25 million and gave defenseman Nikita Zadorov $30 million for the next six seasons.

-- New Jersey continued to build a playoff-worthy roster, signing a pair of defensemen, Brett Pesce for six-years and $33 million and Brenden Dillon for three years and $12 million, and forward Stefan Noesen for three years and $8.25 million.

— San Jose signed forwards Tyler Toffoli for $24 million over four years and Alexander Wennberg for two years and $10 million.

— Toronto signed defenseman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract worth $27 million after acquiring his rights from Dallas.

— The Stars kept Matt Duchene for another season for $3 million and also signed defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba, the latter for $7.5 million over two years.

— Los Angeles signed former Oilers winger Warren Foegele for $10.5 million over three years and gave rugged defenseman Joel Edmundson four years and $15.4 million.

— Columbus signed center Sean Monahan to a five-year contract for $27.5 million.

— Hours after a rainy rally celebrating their Stanley Cup title, the Panthers beat the midnight buzzer to re-sign Sam Reinhart to an eight-year contract worth $69 million, an annual cap hit of $8.625 million for a player coming off a 57-goal regular season.

— Jordan Martinook re-signed with the Hurricanes on a three-year deal worth $9.15 million.

— Edmonton, which lost to the Panthers in seven games in the Cup final, re-signed depth forwards Corey Perry and Connor Brown for next season. Perry, the only player in NHL history to reach the final with five different organizations, got $1.4 million including incentives, while Brown, who had a goal and an assist in the seven-game series against Florida, signed for $1 million. The Oilers replaced Foegele with Viktor Arvidsson, giving him $8 million over two years.

Chicago and Washington were among the busiest teams.

The Blackhawks signed forwards Tyler Bertuzzi (four years, $22 million), Teuvo Teravainen (three years, $16.2 million), Craig Smith (one year, $1 million), defenseman Alex Martinez (one year, $4 million) and goaltender Laurent Brossoit (two years, $6.6 million).

The Capitals, beyond trading for Jakob Chychrun, continued their roster overhaul by signing defenseman Matt Roy to a six-year contract worth $34.5 million and forwards Brandon Duhaime (two years, $3.7 million) and Taylor Raddysh (one year, $1 million).

AP freelance writers Jim Diamond and Denis Gorman contributed.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei (76) skates with the puck during Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the New York Rangers, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. The Nashville Predators made a big splash in the opening minutes of NHL free agency by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

FILE - Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) plays against the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. The Nashville Predators made a big splash as NHL free agency opened Monday, July 1, 2024, by signing Stanley Cup champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in a jaw-dropping series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention across hockey.(AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos (91) returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 6, 2024. The Nashville Predators made a big splash in the opening minutes of NHL free agency by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

FILE - Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Nashville Predators made a big splash as NHL free agency opened Monday, July 1, by signing Stanley Cup champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in a jaw-dropping series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention across hockey.(AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos reacts after his goal during the first period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. The Nashville Predators made a big splash in the opening minutes of NHL free agency by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack, File)

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes' Teuvo Teravainen (86) skates with the puck against the New York Islanders during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen have agreed to contracts with Chicago, providing a major offensive lift for the rebuilding Blackhawks on the first day of NHL free agency. Bertuzzi received a $22 million, four-year deal, and Teravainen’s agreement is worth $16.2 million over three seasons. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, FIle)

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, left, aims the puck for a goal as Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) attempts to defend during the second period of Game 7 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Monday, June 24, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

FILE - Vegas Golden Knights' Jonathan Marchessault controls the puck in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, May 1, 2024. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be committed to free agents, including a strong crop of forwards led by longtime Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Kane and 2023 playoff MVP Marchessault. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos moves the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, March 23, 2024, in Los Angeles. Stamkos is still on course to become a free agent even after the Lightning cleared significant salary cap space with trades made at the NHL draft. General manager Julien BriseBois and agent Don Meehan independently confirmed their stances have not changed with respect to Stamkos signing a new contract with the club before free agency opens Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes' Jake Guentzel (59) watches the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Raleigh, N.C., April 4, 2024. The Tampa Bay Lightning got a head start on free agency by acquiring the rights to high-scoring winger Guentzel. The Lightning sent a 2025 third-round draft pick to Carolina on Sunday, June 30. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker, File)