La Russa rejects idea fan pushed him to use pinch runner

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox manager Tony La Russa got a kick out of the idea that a screaming spectator convinced him to insert a pinch-runner during Chicago’s winning rally against the Houston Astros on Monday night. La Russa insisted Tuesday he had no idea a fan near the dugout was yelling for him to send in Adam Engel to run for Eloy Jiménez when he made the move. Jiménez had just hit a tying, two-run double during a four-run eighth inning that propelled Chicago to a 4-2 victory. A smiling La Russa told reporters to “make his day, tell him I heard him.” La Russa said he and his staff were trying to decide whether to keep Jiménez in for a potential at-bat later with the game tied in the eighth.