Sale joins exclusive company while keeping perfect record

When Chris Sale takes the hill, the Chicago White Sox just can't seem to lose, and that trend continued Friday, when the left-hander dominated the New York Yankees with a 99-pitch complete-game performance in the White Sox's 7-1 victory.

Sale now leads all of baseball with eight wins, and joined exclusive company after shutting down a Yankees club that had won five of its last seven contest.

The 27-year-old joined Pedro Martinez and Fernando Valenzuela as the only pitchers to win their first eight starts with an earned run average below two since the mound was lowered in 1969, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

"He's very good and he's playing for the White Sox," manager Robin Ventura told the Sporting News' Jesse Spector of his ace. "I could give a shit if you want to say that he's the best pitcher in the American League. I know he's going to be very good for us."

Sale also became just the third pitcher, joining Brandon Webb of the 2008 Arizona Diamondbacks and Jon Garland of the 2005 White Sox, to earn eight wins in their first eight starts since 2000.

The southpaw threw 71 of his 99 pitches for strikes, and now has as many wins as the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves for a White Sox club that owns the best record in the American League at 24-12.