Twins 2, White Sox 1 (13 innings): They were out of players anyway
Here’s the followed-from-work bullet-point recap, delayed because I needed some time to figure out what exactly happened at various parts of it.
*The White Sox had a chance to send this one into the 14th inning, but they were better off not doing so. They effectively ran out of position players after Tim Anderson was ejected in the 11th for slamming his helmet. Rick Renteria opted to lose the DH and wait to see if Omar Narvaez would’ve been needed, and he was — one batter after Yolmer Sanchez banged knees with Logan Morrison on a close play at first.
Had Narvaez or Charlie Tilson found a way to drive in Kevan Smith — who’d singled and stole second — I don’t exactly know how Renteria would’ve filled out a defensive alignment. After Narvaez struck out and Charlie Tilson grounded out to short, he didn’t have to. I was rooting for an all-time out-of-position moment, but the Sox are better off hitting the road, since they’d already secured the series.
*Considering Lucas Giolito walked the bases loaded in the first inning yet carried a no-hitter into the sixth, perhaps this game was going to be weird.
*Giolito allowed a solo shot to Morrison in the seventh for the game’s first run, and the only run on his ledger. The first inning inflated his walk total, but the rest of his stuff livened up as the game went on, and he ended up lowering his ERA to 6.59.
*The Sox tied it up in just as unlikely a fashion. With two outs and nobody on in the ninth, Sanchez singled to keep the game alive. Fernando Rodney then plunked Anderson, and both runners executed a double steal during Charlie Tilson’s plate appearance, which resulted in a 10-pitch walk. Daniel Palka then pinch-hit for Adam Engel and drew a four-pitch walk to tie the game.
*Yoan Moncada had a chance to end it, and he got a 2-0 count. Then Rodney found the strike zone with his next four pitches, and he aced Moncada on the inside corner to end the threat.
*The Sox couldn’t find the capper throughout the game. The chief example: Jake Odorizzi loaded the bases in the sixth inning with a pair of two-out walks, then locked horns with Smith.Smith fell behind 0-2, watched the next two out of the zone, then fouled off seven consecutive pitches before watching ball three. With all the runners in motion on the 13th pitch of the at-bat, he spoiled a high fastball. With all the runners going on the 14th pitch of the at-bat … Smith flied out to right.
*That was one of many examples of the Sox coming up short in the clutch. They went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position, including 0-for-5 in extra innings.
*The Twins were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, making me wonder what the record is for most hitless plate appearances in a game between two teams.
*Minnesota scored the winning run in the 13th with plenty of White Sox help. Hector Santiago should have retired the side in order, but Tilson dropped Morrison’s fly on the warning track after a long run to left center. It was scored a double, but should’ve been an error.
*Santiago then intentionally walked Ehire Adrianza after a 1-1 count, which was strange. But with the lead runner mattering way more than anybody trailing him, the Sox decided to let Santiago go after the lefties. The problem was that Santiago issued a pair of full-count walks to Jake Cave and Max Kepler to score the winning run.
*Jose Abreu was charged with an error when umpires ruled his foot was to the side of the bag on what appeared to be a routine groundout to short. What was strange was that it looked like Robbie Grossman stepped to the side of first on his way past the bag, so Abreu still might’ve touched the bag before the runner. Either way, Juan Minaya pitched around it with a popup and a strikeout to add to the Twins’ tally of missed opportunities.
*Sanchez made a couple of nice plays — a diving stab and throw, and a leaping grab on a checked-swing flare. He came away from the collision with a bruised quad, and may just be day-to-day.
Record: 28-52 | Box score
Renteria also intentionally walked Escobar after they got ahead of him 0-1. Very strange. And then in the ninth, he left palka on the bench far too long. If that game would’ve ended 1-0 with one of your big power guys holding his balls on the bench, shame on the manager. He got lucky it worked out.
I thought he should have gone with Leury. In that situation, any non-out would at least tie it and any hit would win it. You don’t need an HR. Leury is less likely to make an out and it would save Palka for another PH opp.
“replay sucks” is a fine tag. is there an alternative? “replay rules,” perhaps?