Indians 5, White Sox 2: Cleveland’s stars get the split
Followed-from-work bullet-point recap:
*Jose Ramirez’s 20th homer made the difference in this one. With two outs in the seventh inning, a runner on second and a 2-2 count, Chris Volstad threw a two-seamer that tailed right over the heart of the plate, and Ramirez didn’t miss it.
*The blast snapped the White Sox bullpen’s scoreless streak, but with at least four innings to cover — and maybe extras, since the Sox offense went dormant after the first — it was only a matter of time.
*Carlos Rodon got the no-decision, and it could’ve been worse. He gave up a homer on the third pitch of the game to Francisco Lindor, then issued three walks around an HBP in the third to tie the game.
*Fortunately, he proved tough to square up. He allowed just two hits, limiting the damage from two plunked batters and three walks over five innings. He struck out four and threw 59 of 100 pitches for strikes.
*Mike Clevinger was better. He gave up a pair of runs in the first — one unearned (Erik Gonzalez booting Yolmer Sanchez’s grounder), one earned (Jose Abreu’s two-run homer). But he allowed only three hits after the first inning, and struck out 11 to just one walk over his seven innings.
*The Sox struck out 15 times overall, including silver sombreros for Jose Rondon and Matt Davidson. Yoan Moncada and Tim Anderson didn’t start as Rick Renteria wanted them to have some quality time, but both ended up pinch-hitting.
*All the swinging and missing nullified the effects of two-hit games from Abreu, Kevan Smith and Charlie Tilson. Tilson also reached base on catcher inference.
*Then again, Tilson was doubled off first on Adam Engel’s broken-bat liner to the left side. Also, Trayce Thompson was thrown out stealing, so the Sox didn’t help themselves on the basepaths.
*The White Sox were just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. The Indians weren’t much better, going 1-for-9. Alas, the “1” was Ramirez’s homer.
*Juan Minaya allowed the Indians to tack on a run when he dropped Jose Abreu’s toss to first on what was supposed to be an inning-ending 3-1 putout in the eighth.
*Hector Santiago struck out two in a perfect ninth inning. I’d rather see him get the close middle innings over Volstad.
Record: 24-43 | Box score
Is it really a mental day if they end up pinch hitting?
Not the first time RR has done that.
Amen on Santiago. Â Volstad got out of his inning. Â That seems to have been the formula that worked recently–our relievers in easy-to-swallow doses. Â Hector’s the only one who could be stretched.
Of course, their arms will fall off pitching in every game, but we can enjoy it till then.