On the same night the White Sox locked in the season series against the Cleveland Indians, the Minnesota Twins locked up the AL Central.
These things are related.
The White Sox improved to 10-8 this seaosn against Cleveland with a game to go, and they did it the hard way: Ross Detwiler picked up the win while the Sox handed Shane Bieber the loss.
Bieber was off from his second pitch of the game, which landed a row or two into the left-field seats courtesy of a Leury García leadoff homer. He never really settled in, and his defense didn’t help. Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu followed with infield singles, both moved up on a Yoan Moncada groundout that Carlos Santana deflected, and both scored on a grounder that Santana threw away. He attempted to fire home after snagging Zack Collins’ chopper and start a pickle with Anderson, but he airmailed the throw. Anderson scored, and so did Abreu, chugging alongside Jose Ramirez to a vacant home plate.
The Sox never lost control of the game, because while Detwiler wobbled a little, Bieber never steadied. When Mike Freeman singled home Franmil Reyes in the top of the third, Yolmer Sánchez singled home Anderson to erase the progress. The Sox made it 5-1 an inning later when Abreu singled followed Anderson’s third single with a third of his own, which scored Daniel Palka.
Detwiler survived Ramirez’s third homer of the series and traded a run for two outs with a run-scoring double play to complete his five. Bieber outlasted him, but the 10 hits he allowed over 5⅔ innings led to damage the Indians couldn’t match.
Welington Castillo put the game out of reach in the seventh with a three-run homer off Tyler Clippard, who inherited a pair of runners who reached via switch-hitting successes off lefty Oliver Pérez. Castillo entered as a pinch hitter for Matt Skole, who left the game with right abdominal tightness.
TAlas, Alex Colomé recorded the rare one-out save with a five-run lead by coming in with the bases loaded after Jace Fry issued a single and two walks, all with two outs. Colomé gave Francisco Lindor the silver sombrero to end the game.
Fry’s season won’t be redeemed, but Kelvin Herrera is ending his season on a hopeful note. He pitched his fourth consecutive scoreless outing, and he struck out all four batters he faced.
Bullet points:
*The White Sox hadn’t won a season series against the Indians since 2015. In the three years since, Cleveland held a 38-19 edge.
*Anderson went 4-for-5 to raise his average to .339. He now leads DJ LeMahieu by 11 points in the batting title race.
*Aaron Bummer struck out the only two batters he faced, so he and Herrera teamed up for six straight K’s.
Record: 69-88 | Box score | Highlights
It feels like this team either loses in the most depressing head scratching way possible or (Late inning bullpen nonsense aside) cruises to a win. They need more creamy middles.
Nice to spoil Cleveland’s playoff push.
Nice pitching by Detweiler, and I really thought Collins called a good game. Collins had a good throw on an attempted steal, when the runner was barely safe, and he blocked the game-ending strikeout pitch that was in the dirt. I still think he’s a better catcher than Castillo, but Collins is the one who people say can’t play defense.
Awesome to see Anderson get four hits to pad his lead in the battle-title race.
Some confirmation bias here with Collins, because he’s been pretty brutal back there most times.
I always enjoy a Big Boss Ross W or ND because I can taunt the other team about being manhandled by an Indy Ball pitcher
As the season come to a close, I’m glad we saved 300 mil(Washington is probably happy too.). Even tho with Bryce in right and a half year of Robert, we might have had a special season. As we move forward seeing the Cubs annual 50 year collapse lets be dollar smart and talent ready. Stop holding on to nonproducing players such as Palka,Tilson and Cordell to name a few. Let 2020 be about picking productive players and win.
Even with Bryce and Robert, I doubt we could get to 80 wins. Too many holes in the rotation/bullpen. #1 priority is getting some arms in the offseason.
The players who should not be with the White Sox in 2020: Palka, Cordell, Tilson, Engel, Goins, Skole, Castillo, Detwiler, Covey, Banuelos, probably Fulmer. Did I miss any?
Adam Engel’s not going anywhere. When he was sent down in April Renteria said he wanted him to be a .250 hitter. Since his return in late May he’s hit .260 with an OBP of .323 despite a brutal August. He’s your 2020 opening day CF.
As far as the rest of your list, I agree 100%.
You’re probably right. He be in center at least until Robert comes up.
I’d say keep Engel as the 4th outfielder. His glove is elite for late game defensive replacement purposes
30+ homers, 100+ walks, from a 26 year old left handed hitting right fielder is exactly what we are looking for this offseason. Bryce Harper in year 1 is doing exactly what he’s being paid to do and we are over here trying to figure out if we can trade for someone who will be half as good as he is. No one should be glad that the White Sox didn’t make an effort to get better last year.
Exactly. Harper would have been a perfect fit for this roster.
We blew it big time by not getting Harper. Our home attendance would have been up by at least 5,000 fans per game, an increase that would have paid for his salary, and we would have had a much more watchable season. This season, despite not being his best, has him with an .882 OPS, 34 homers and 109 RBI. We need another power bat in the lineup, especially a lefty, and we need a right fielder. Harper would have filled all of those spots and our payroll still would have been below average.
As much as I enjoy foiling Cleveland’s playoff run, at least for one night, I hate that it clinched the Central for the Twins. If only there was a way to make it so both teams miss the playoffs. ??
Anyone have any ideas?
There’s no a way to keep Minnesota out of the playoffs this year, but there is next year. Jerry, Rick and Kenny need to spend a boatload of Jerry’s great-great-great-great grandchildren’s inheritance on premium free agents and they need to let Robert and Madrigal start the season in Chicago. Then maybe the Sox can keep both of them out.
Trade Moncada, Giolito, Colome, Anderson, Bummer, Robert, Jimenez, Vaughn, Madrigal, and cash to the Royals for a PTBNL.
Tim Anderson is now at a .402 BABIP on the year but Moncada still holds the season lead at .404. It looks like its a two way race for the BABIP crown in MLB this year.
In other positive news, Daniel Palka is now down (up?) to a -23 wRC+ this year!
Stay with me cause i’m about to come at you with a scalding hot take.
At what point do you just have to give Todd Steverson Credit for the “BABIP Luck” our guys have had?
Tim Anderson and Moncada both got a lot more free swinging this year and are sporting enormous babips. Mccann was the BABIP God for a while there. Even guys like Leury Garcia are sporting high BABIPs.
I dont know. I’ve not put any serious thought into this hot take (if I did it wouldn’t be a hot take) but its food for thought.Tim and Yoan in particular both seem to have drastically changed their approach at the plate to one that helps them get the most out of their physical tools.
Why was Colome given a save? I thought the rule was inherited base runners + outs => the lead. He inherited 3 got 1 out against a 5 run lead.
You get a save if you have the tying run on deck.
I shoulda refreshed the page before I commented. lol
Got it. Thanks
A save is earned if the tying run is “either on base, at bat, or on deck”.
NeverkKnow about baseball. Went last night expecting the Sox to be blown out. Instead was to treated to warm night,crowd the was decent and into the game ,great play by the Sox (except the fly in the ointment Mr. Fry’s 4 walk 9th) and Timmy’s 4 hits. Good times .
When I looked at the lineup and pitching matchups, I thought there was no way the Sox would win yesterday. Then they go out and win 8-3. Go figure.