On the first night with capacity limits lifted for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Chicago White Sox were embarrassed by the Seattle Mariners, losing 9-3. Luis Torrens and Jake Farley are not household names, but they combined to hit three home runs while the White Sox offense continues to sputter.
Torrens had the multi-home run night, and it started in the second inning. Carlos Rodon threw a hanging breaking pitch with a man on which Torrens smashed into the left-field bleachers. The two-run shot gave Seattle a quick 2-0 lead.
Yasmani Grandal cut that lead in half, and for a moment, teased a night filled with big offense. Yusei Kikuchi tried to throw a fastball by Grandal, but with his patented sweet bat drop, the White Sox DH watched his 12th home run of the season go into the stands.
Seattle lived up to the big offensive night. Adding another run in the third inning with some BABIP luck as Jake Bauers grounder was out of the range for Danny Mendick. Rodon would only allow three runs but lasted just five innings because the pitch count escalated. Rodon threw 104 pitches in five innings with a final line of 5 IP 5 H 3 ER 4 BB 8 K.
Jose Ruiz and Zack Burdi tried to cover as much ground as possible, and Seattle had plenty of success against them. Farley hit a two-run homer off Ruiz in the sixth inning. Torrens hit his second home run of the night off Burdi in the seventh inning to make it 7-1.
After Seattle added their eighth run, the White Sox scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Anderson hit a slower grounder the just barely got past the pitcher’s mound, and beat the throw for an infield single. Brian Goodwin followed up with a single to right field, and both runners advanced an extra base on a wild pitch.
Moncada would drive both Anderson and Goodwin in on a single through the infield to right field, but was checked out by the training staff after the base hit. During the broadcast, Moncada was pointing to the top of his left foot, giving him issues. Nevertheless, Moncada stayed in the game but something to monitor the rest of this series.
Matt Foster did not have a clean ninth inning of work as he allowed two hits, one an RBI-single to Mitch Haniger and a walk. Seattle scored at least once in every inning against the White Sox bullpen on the night.
Game Notes:
- Attendance was 32,189.
- Jose Abreu went 0-for-3 with an HBP. He’s now hitting .239 for the season.
- Yoan Moncada went 2-for-3 with a walk.
- Andrew Vaughn hit his 15th double of the season.
- Minnesota beat Cleveland which still gives the White Sox a two-game lead in the AL Central.
