Indians 4, White Sox 0: Two hits, too many walks

In one way, it’s good Lucas Giolito unraveled in the fourth inning, because we can just call his start unsatisfactory.

Up until that point, it was one of those weird ones. His fastball had more life, averaging 93 and cracking 95. He showed more confidence in his curveballs than his other secondary offerings, which is unusual for him. He threw three hitless, scoreless innings, during which he needed just 41 pitches. He did walk two batters to just one strikeout, and he didn’t generate much in the way of swings and misses, but there was increase in effectiveness.

After Giolito froze Francisco Lindor for the second out in the fourth, the wheels fell off. He walked Yonder Alonso after getting ahead 1-2, which, OK. Then Giolito walked Melky Cabrera on five pitches, which is not OK.

Giolito rebounded to break Lonnie Chisenhall’s bat, but Chisenhall was able to muscle it into center for a bloop RBI single. One could call it bad luck, but when you issue two walks to put runners in scoring position, that argument rings hollow.

And there was nothing unlucky about Yan Gomes’ double, which rattled around the left-field corner and scored two more runs to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead. (Giolito also didn’t back up home plate as the throw came in, for what that’s worth.)

Giolito did get through five, although Michael Brantley added a solo shot in the fifth. He departed after a leadoff single in the sixth, and Xavier Cedeno stranded the runner to make an unimpressive line a little better: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K. He threw just 46 of 93 pitches for strikes.

The solace is that even a decent outing might not have made a difference, because Carlos Carrasco picked up where he left off in 2017 by manhandling the White Sox. He fanned 11 while allowing just two singles, a walk and an HBP over seven shutout innings. He averaged about 20 pitches an inning over the first three to float the idea of an abbreviated outing, but he improved the efficiency while losing no effectiveness over his final four. Yolmer Sanchez came closest to scoring, as he reached base against Carrasco with an HBP and a walk. He was stranded at third in the first inning, and he stayed at second when Brantley flagged down Jose Abreu’s drive to the warning track in the sixth.

Bullet points:

*The White Sox bullpen extended its scoreless streak to 19 2/3 innings, as Cedeno, Luis Avilan, Bruce Rondon and Hector Santiago each threw a scoreless inning.

*Rondon appeared to tweak his back, and Rick Renteria and Herm Schneider came right out to see him, but Rondon emphatically denied their assistance and finished the inning.

*Matt Davidson wore the golden sombrero, while Yoan Moncada grounded into a fielder’s choice his last time up to avoid the same fate.

Record: 22-42 | Box score

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Trooper Galactus

Davidson and Moncada both collecting precious metal sombreros again, which is disheartening. Does it seem like Moncada might still be feeling the effects of his injury?

oljeto

He looks and acts depressed.
Davidson had a great two weeks.  Is seeing the ball much better.  Just can’t hit it.
Scouts have found his holes?