White Sox 8, Tigers 4: A much-needed wake-up call

White Sox win

Even with the news of Tim Anderson and Edwin Encarnacion returning to the White Sox lineup, most of the attention pregame was what Dallas Keuchel said the night before. Neither Anderson nor James McCann, when speaking to reporters, had any issues with what the veteran pitcher had to say. 

Sitting in fourth place and a game below .500, the White Sox needed a wake-up call to get back to their winning ways they enjoyed not long ago. Fans didn’t need to wait long as Eloy Jimenez set the tone with a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Sox cruised to an 8-4 win. 

Anderson led it off with a walk and advanced to second on Yasmani Grandal’s single to center; the table was set for Jose Abreu. Entering the night hitting 3-for-21 with runners in scoring position, Abreu demonstrated a bit more patience waiting until Detroit pitcher Tyler Alexander got a pitch up in the zone. Not missing, Abreu sliced a double to plate Anderson and giving the White Sox a 1-0 lead. 

After Edwin Encarnacion grounder to third base got Grandal thrown out at home plate, Jimenez broke out of his slump in a big way with an opposite-field home run. 

That first inning four-run outburst finally got the offense running how the way it should most nights. Edwin Encarnacion brought the parrot out for his second home run of the season with a solo shot in the fourth inning. 

Jimenez picked up his fourth RBI of the night in the sixth inning. Abreu singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch from Tigers pitcher Rony Garcia. On a 1-2 changeup, Jimenez hit a sharp line drive down the right-field line to score Abreu. In the seventh inning, Garcia was lifted for an old friend and former White Sox 2015 first-round selection, Carson Fulmer. On Fulmer’s first pitch, he hit Adam Engel. Then Anderson singled to center field to put runners on the corners. Moncada would drive in Engel with a ground out, but Anderson’s heads up baserunning move got him to third base. When Dawel Lugo fielded the grounder, no one from Detroit covered third base allowing Anderson to advance. 

Next was Abreu, and just like his first RISP opportunity, he hit another double to drive in his second RBI of the night. It wasn’t a kind reunion for Fulmer, who pitched the one inning allowing two hits and two runs. 

Gio Gonzalez was solid for four innings keeping Detroit scoreless until the fifth inning. After Lugo singled, Austin Romine crushed Gonzalez’s changeup over the left-field wall for a two-run shot. Gonzalez would get the next two hitters out. Still, after allowing his third hit of the inning, manager Rick Renteria decided it was time for the bullpen. Gonzalez finished his night with 4.2 IP 6 H 2 ER 1 BB 2 K. 

For the most part, the White Sox bullpen was lights out again. Matt Foster pitched two scoreless innings striking out four batters. Zack Burdi made his second MLB appearance by pitching a scoreless eighth inning. 

It was the ninth inning that ended up being shaky. Ian Hamilton got the opportunity to close out the game but was wild. Hamilton walked Jonathan Schoop and Jeimer Candelario, and after throwing a wild pitch, both would reach scoring position. Harold Castro singled to left field to drive in one run to make it an 8-3 game. 

Renteria replaced Hamilton with Steve Cishek, who allowed another inherited runner to score when Romine grounded out to Anderson at shortstop to make it 8-4. That would be the only damage Cishek allowed as Jacoby Jones lined out to Danny Mendick to end the evening. 

Game Notes

  • Eloy Jimenez went 2-for-4 with a HR and four RBI
  • Jose Abreu was 3-for-4 with two RBI
  • Tim Anderson’s return: 1-for-4, a walk, and two runs scored batting leadoff
  • Yoan Moncada looked off all night. He went 0-for-5 at the plate, and made several poor throws to first base. With a 12:05 pm CT start tomorrow to close out the series it might be a good opportunity for Renteria to give Moncada the day off. 

Record: 9-9 | Box Score | Video 

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asinwreck

Getting on the Matt Foster Cy Young bandwagon now. Also hoping a day or two of rest will help Yoán Moncada. Some of the people I know who had the virus back in March and April still report fatigue. I hope that isn’t the case for him, but it is a possibility.

LuBob DuRob

Re: Foster, the bullpen has been a highlight overall. Yoan seems to be dealing through a groin or leg issue. Hopefully, it works itself out, but wouldn’t be surprised if he’s out tomorrow.

asinwreck

Renteria said he was “sore all over,” which could be general muscle fatigue.

burning-phoneix

Some people are guessing he’s not up to 100% fitness in a crunch season due to the COVID diagnosis sidelining him from warm up camp. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.

burning-phoneix

Carson Fulmer wasn’t picked up on waivers, he was inserted, CIA spy-like, into opposing rotations to sabotage division rivals. Bravo Agent C.

lil jimmy

more than once already in this short season. Comcast screws me over. I go to 200, where the game is, hit record. Then have dinner. turns out the game is on 201, which is listed as volleyball or some bullshit.
Am I alone here?

Foulkelore

Nope, it’s not just you and not just Comcast. I have a different provider and saw the Sox on Plus where Beach Volleyball was listed. It’s an NBC Sports Chicago thing. I think the Blackhawks playoff games and changing times there impacted the Sox. They must be prioritizing Blackhawks playoffs on the regular channel, pushing the Sox to Plus. When it’s a late change like that, the guide sometimes isn’t updated in time to be accurate.

lifelongjd

Seems like as Eloy goes, so does our entire offense. But better approaches all around by our hitters.
Any updates on when we can expect Rodon and Lopez back? Not like they’ve been lights out, just need more depth at SP.