In White Sox history, both the 1983 and 1993 squads started their seasons losing three of the first five games. After losing Game 1 of the doubleheader, the 2020 roster was staring at 1-3 and in need of a win. Especially against a playoff contender like Cleveland to give Rick Renteria and his boys the confidence they can hang. In a 60-game sprint, we’ve heard countless times now how each game counts. Well, no White Sox team had made the postseason starting 1-4.
Almost 15 months since the last appearing in a regular-season game, Carlos Rodon made his return to the mound. Last time fans saw him, Rodon couldn’t get through the fourth inning against Baltimore throwing 89 pitches. Six days later, Rodon would need Tommy John surgery.
Cleveland rudely welcomed back Rodon putting up a crooked number in the first inning. After back-to-back doubles by Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, a hanging slider from Rodon to Carlos Santana found itself in the left-field bleachers. Four batters into his return and Rodon was quickly down 3-0. Another crooked number allowed by the White Sox, who have been outscored 13 to 1 in the first inning to start 2020.
After airing out his frustration in the dugout, Rodon bounced back nicely in the second and third frames. Even though Ramirez collected his second hit on a single with an exit velocity of 66.8 mph, Rodon erased him off the basepaths getting Lindor to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
In the fourth inning, Rodon followed the trend of White Sox starting pitchers losing his command by walking the bases loaded. With a pitch count at 71, Renteria felt that was enough and lifted Rodon for Steve Cishek.
Cishek didn’t make things better. Falling behind 2-0, Oscar Mercado drove Cishek’s fastball to left field for a two-run single. Both runs charged to Rodon’s final line, which was 3.2 IP 4 H 5 ER 3 BB 4 K.
Offensively, James McCann trimmed the lead with a solo shot, his second home run of the season, in the top half of the second. Jose Abreu hit his first dinger of 2020 in the sixth inning and would later score in the eighth thanks to Nicky Delmonico’s single that trickled out of the infield. Down 5-3, Zack Collins served as the game-tying run and took Cleveland reliever, Dominic Leone, to deep center field. What would have been at least a double and cut the lead to a single run, Mercado had other ideas as he made a sensational catch to rob Collins.
Cam Hill closed out the ninth for Cleveland, and the White Sox were swept in the doubleheader. With a record of 1-4, the White Sox start 2020 last place in the AL Central. Good thing half the league makes the postseason this season.
Game Notes:
- Jose Abreu was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
- First time in 2020 that the White Sox didn’t draw a walk.
- White Sox bullpen pitched well again. The quartet of Jimmy Lambert - Ian Hamilton - Evan Marshall - Alex Colome pitched four innings only allowing one hit and walk.
Record: 1-4 | Box Score | Highlights
