CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox are getting good pitching and key breaks, and they've spun them into a four-game winning streak.

On Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field, they beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 and gave themselves a chance to sweep the series on Sunday. To do it, they had to overcome a blown lead in the eighth inning that spoiled Jeff Samardzija's dominating start.

Pinch-hitter J.B. Shuck drove in Gordon Beckham with a one-out double in the bottom of the eighth and closer David Robertson posted his 18th save in the ninth with some help from Avisail Garcia's fantastic catch to prevent a game-tying homer.

"These guys keep grinding," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "They've just got their head down, playing hard. There's a lot of negative that can go out there, but these guys are sticking together and that's important."

They proved as much after right-handed reliever Zach Putnam served up a tying two-run homer to Orioles third baseman Manny Machado in the eighth. Putnam relieved Samardzija with two outs, after Baltimore second baseman Ryan Flaherty drew a walk.

Machado sent the second pitch he saw from Putnam over the bullpen in left field for the Orioles' first runs of the series. It briefly stole momentum, but it didn't last long.

Right-hander Bud Norris walked Beckham to start the bottom of the eighth and was sacrificed to second. Shuck came to the plate against right-hander Darren O'Day, who relieved Norris, and came through with his run-scoring double.

In the ninth, Robertson nearly allowed a second game-tying homer for Baltimore. Right fielder Chris Davis sent a one-out pitch deep to right field, but Garcia snared it with a leaping grab at the fence to bring the ball back for the second out.

"Right off the bat, you see the ball go up and we thought it was gone," Machado said. "But (Garcia) went out there and made a (heck) of a play. You can't do (anything) about it. You've just got to tip your cap off and go about it."

Samardzija didn't get credit for the win in his stat line but led the White Sox most of the day. He allowed just one run and three hits, struck out nine in 7 2/3 innings and didn't allow a hit until Flaherty's two-out single in the sixth.

"I feel like we're getting there," Samardzija said. "My mechanics have come around and I feel comfortable with what I'm doing out there, which means we can execute the pitches instead of having to worry about what you're doing above the rubber."

The White Sox gave Samardzija a 1-0 lead in the first with a run on three hits and tacked on another run in the fifth to make it 2-0. Designated hitter Jose Abreu went 2-for-4 and scored each run after slugging extra-base hits.

Samardzija cruised until the seventh, which was his toughest inning. Designated hitter Jimmy Paredes and Davis reached with singles, separated by a strikeout of center fielder Adam Jones, and they moved to second and third with two outs on a two-strike wild pitch to first baseman Chris Parmelee.

Samardzija, who twice struck out the side, fanned Parmelee on the next pitch to end the inning.

"He was just on," Machado said. "He was throwing all his pitches for strikes and throwing it well. It's just one of those days he was throwing the ball well and we weren't hitting."

Tillman lasted only 4 2/3 innings and allowed 10 hits, which drove his pitch count up to 103. Norris (2-8) relieved him and threw 2 2/3 innings in his new role out of the bullpen.

He was nearly perfect until the White Sox clawed back in the eighth.

"We're starting to gel a little bit more, have a little bit more fun and realize if we have fun and just play baseball, we're gonna win some games," Shuck said. "And that's what we're kind of doing. You can start to see it show on the field."

NOTES: Orioles manager Buck Showalter said RHP Kevin Gausman will remain in the starting rotation and RHP Bud Norris will work out of the bullpen ... After the game, the Orioles sent INF Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk. They might also activate 2B Jonathan Schoop (right knee sprain) from the 60-day disabled list on Sunday. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he was just trying something different by keeping 1B Jose Abreu in the second slot of the batting order. ... Showalter said LHP Wei-Yin Chen will likely start for the Orioles on Monday against the Minnesota Twins. ... Former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Jenks, who closed the final game of the White Sox's 2005 World Series championship, said he is officially retired.