DETROIT — Yoán Moncada raised his arms as he walked through the Chicago White Sox dugout.
Teammates gathered around him and greeted him with high-fives and pats on the backs.
Moncada had just circled the bases after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. It was his first home run since May 14 against the New York Yankees.
“It feels good to have that kind of support,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “They celebrated that homer like it was my first career homer. It was good.”
Moncada set the tone Wednesday in a 13-0 Sox victory in front of 20,726 at Comerica Park. The third baseman had a career-high five hits, drove in five and scored twice.
“A day like today is good for your mind, your confidence,” said Moncada, who’s average went from .141 to .181. “Sometimes when you’re in a bad stretch you can get a little down, but a day like today helps to reinforce that confidence and to feel good. It was definitely a good day to feel good.”
Moncada went 5 for 6 with the homer in the first, a single in the fourth, a double in the sixth and RBI singles in the eighth and ninth.
“He showed today the stroke of a .300 hitter,” manager Tony La Russa said. “The ball inside, he turned on it. He’s really got a beautiful stroke.”
Shortstop Danny Mendick hit a solo homer in the fourth and catcher Seby Zavala had a two-run homer an inning later as the Sox completed a three-game sweep. They set season highs for runs and hits (22), and everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit.
“The boys came to work today,” La Russa said. “Very difficult for both sides (with weather conditions at 94 degrees for first pitch), but the boys came to work.”
The Sox produced with two outs throughout the series. They had four two-out RBIs in Monday’s 9-5 win and three two-out RBIs in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory.
That trend continued with six Wednesday, starting with Moncada’s three-run homer. He drove in another run with two outs in the ninth. Josh Harrison, who went 3 for 5, had a two-out RBI single as part of a two-run third inning. José Abreu, who went 4 for 5 with two RBIs and three runs, had a two-out RBI single during a two-run fourth.
The Sox led 11-0 after six innings. The Tigers used position players Harold Castro (seventh), Kody Clemens (eighth) and Tucker Barnhart (ninth) to pitch the final three innings.
Wednesday also marked pitcher Vince Velasquez’s return from the injured list. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out three in 2 2/3 innings.
Velasquez had been on the injured list since May 31 with a strained left groin. In Wednesday’s corresponding move, the Sox placed right-hander Kyle Crick on the 15-day IL — retroactive to Tuesday — with right elbow inflammation.
“Just checking off all the boxes,” Velasquez said. “Seemed like a lot of stuff really didn’t leave from the last appearance (May 24 against) Boston. I tried to make sure that everything is as crisp as possible so when it is time to get whatever role I need to be in, just stay sharp and stay ready at all costs.
“I’m thrilled with the results of today’s performance.”
Davis Martin followed Velasquez’s start, allowing three hits and striking out three in 5 1/3 innings.
“He’s a cool customer,” La Russa said of Martin, who earned the first win of his big-league career.
Said Martin: “(Velasquez) started off really strong, he was dominant from the start. For me watching from the bullpen, taking away a lot of the stuff that he was doing so I could just jump right in and follow what he was doing because his plan was working, his stuff was working, so just trying to pick up from where he left off because he set the tone so high.
“The fastball location helped set the tone for everything else. Fastball in there early and let the offspeed play down. Seby did a great job calling the game.”
The Sox climbed back to one game under .500 at 30-31. They are off Thursday before beginning a weekend series against the Astros on Friday in Houston. It will be the first meeting between the teams since last year’s American League Division Series, which the Astros won in four games.
“If we were playing any team that’s as good as Houston is this weekend, it would be huge for us because we’re within yelling distance of getting to where we’re a winning club, not a losing club,” La Russa said. “The fact that it’s Houston, they’re playing really well.”
The Astros are in first in the AL West at 39-24.
“Whoever we’re playing is an opportunity for us to be a winning club,” La Russa said. “The fact that it’s one of the best clubs in both leagues, you understand the challenge that it’s going to be. So get ready.”
