Tonight's game started off well and got interesting late thanks to Yoan Moncada. His doubles in the first and ninth inning generated the White Sox only runs as they lost to Cleveland, 6-3.
Moncada had three good at-bats this evening. In the first inning, Moncada led things off with this 13th double of 2018 to left center. He would later come around and score on Jose Abreu's single to give the Sox an early 1-0 lead against Indians starter Mike Clevinger. In his second at-bat, Moncada hit another deep fly to left field in the second inning, but Michael Brantley was able to run it down in the warning track.
Third and fourth trips the plate ended in strikeouts, but Moncada would get another chance in the ninth inning. At this point down by five, 6-1, Tim Anderson and Charlie Tilson both singled to start a rally. After Adam Engel popped out in foul territory for the second out, Moncada smashed a 1-0 fastball off the left-center wall driving in both Anderson and Tilson. Now a 6-3 game, Moncada would advance to third base when second baseman Erik Gonzalez misplayed Yolmer Sanchez's grounder. The error gave Jose Abreu a chance to tie the game with one swing, but going after a breaking pitch fell short of the warning track in right field ending the game.
Moncada finished the evening 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and two strikeouts. That's consecutive multi-hit games for the young second baseman, and hopefully, a sign that a hot streak is to come. Tilson had a good night at the plate going 3-for-4 bumping his batting average to .280 for the season.
Abreu appeared to hit his 12th home run of 2018 in the third inning, but after he ran around the bases, replay correctly overturned the call, and it was just a loud foul ball. Abreu would later strikeout, and he ended the night 1-for-5 with the RBI single but also three strikeouts.
Carlos Rodon was on the mound for his third start, and if it weren't for the second inning, it would have turned out to be a real dandy.
The mess began with a four-pitch walk to Edwin Encarnacion. Then Rodon hit Brandon Guyer, and after a mound visit, Yonder Alonso on the seventh pitch singled to right field scoring Encarnacion. Now a tied game, 1-1, Rodon walked Yan Gomes to load the bases. Pitching coach Don Cooper made his trip to the mound to sort things out. Rodon responded with getting Jason Kipnis to hit a high pop fly for an infield out. With one out and facing Rajai Davis, Rodon threw a slider in the dirt that Narvaez couldn't move his body in front of resulting in a wild pitch. Guyer scored, and the Indians took the 2-1 lead. Rodon would get Davis to fly out to Abreu for the second out, but there was still trouble with runners on second and third.
Then came Francisco Lindor, who was 5-for-21 with two home runs in his career against Rodon. With Michael Brantley on deck batting 2-for-14 with four strikeouts against Rodon, it would have made sense to pitch around Lindor. Instead, the White Sox opted to pitch to Lindor, and he made them pay by hitting a single to right field scoring both Alonso and Gomes. The misery ended with Brantley hitting a soft groundout to Moncada.
In the second inning alone, Rodon threw 35 pitches allowing four runs on two hits, two walks, and HBP.
In the other 5.1 innings he pitched, Rodon only allowed three hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Throwing 62 strikes in 98 pitches and reached the seventh inning. Better managerial and catching awareness could have avoided the big second inning, but for his third start in 2018, there were many positives to take away for Rodon.
Clevinger was sharp again for Cleveland, striking out 10 White Sox hitters giving him back-to-back 10+ strikeouts against Chicago this season. In 7.2 innings, Clevinger allowed just five hits, one run, with ten strikeouts and two walks.
Record:24-48 | Box Score
