On paper, this game had the makings of a classic pitchers' duel. On the mound for the White Sox was Carlos Rodon and his sparkling 2.06 ERA. Going for the Twins? Old White Sox nemesis Jose Berrios and his 3.41 ERA over 89.2 IP this season. Add in the fact that Berrios’ career line against Sox looked like this: 12-2 in 17 games started, a 2.65 ERA, and 111 Ks against just 25 walks, and it seemed as though runs would be at a premium. There's a reason why they play the games, however, and neither starting pitcher would get to the sixth. Rodon was hampered by some questionable defense, while Berrios was stymied by an excellent White Sox approach: pepper him with hits by going opposite field, all afternoon long.
The first inning, in fact, foreshadowed what was to come for each pitcher. After inducing a flyout to the Twins' first batter of the game in Jorge Polanco, Josh Donaldson walked. Nelson Cruz then hit a hot smash to Yoan Moncada at third for what was to be a double play and out of the inning. The ball was hit so hard, however, that it literally got stuck in the webbing of Moncada's glove to put runners at first and second. A Trevor Larnach strikeout got the second out, but Ryan Jeffers reached on an error that bounced off Moncada's glove and up in the air to load the bases. Fortunately, Rodon got Miguel Sano on a checked swing third strike call to end the threat and the inning.
In the Sox' half of the frame, Yoan Moncada singled to left with one out. Abreu then singled the opposite way to put runners at first and second. Up next was Yasmani Grandal who hit a hot grounder up the middle...and right into the glove of Andrelton Simmons who turned it into a 6-4-3 double play.
After Rodon went 1-2-3 in his half of the second, the Sox got on the board in theirs. Brian Goodwin hammered a 1-1 curve out to right for a home run, his third on the season to give the Sox a 1-0 lead.
After Andrew Vaughn flied out to center, Gavin Sheets nearly hit an oppo taco of his own, doubling off the left field wall. Danny Mendick then got on base via an HBP, but the Sox could do no further damage as Zack Collins flied out and Tim Anderson ground out softly to third.
Rodon made quick work of the third (striking out Donaldson and Cruz back-to-back!), and it was Chicago's turn to add on. Moncada led off with a single past Sano and Abreu got another opposite field single of his own, getting Moncada to third. Unfortunately for the White Sox, Moncada dove awkwardly into third, trapping his right hand under his body during the slide. After a lengthy examination by the trainers, Moncada stayed in to finish his baserunning but would ultimately leave the game after the inning. (More on that down in the notes) Grandal was up next, and he wouldn't be denied this time: yet another single off Berrios plated Moncada to give the Sox a 2-0 lead. After Goodwin flew out, Andrew Vaughn got in on the singles party of his own to load the bases for Gavin Sheets. Sheets then hit a sacrifice fly to stake the Sox to a 3-0 lead. A Danny Mendick flyout to left ended the inning, however.
Rodon had another quiet fourth inning, albeit with a different defender at third base. With Moncada pulled, the White Sox shifted Andrew Vaughn from left field to third as the emergency third baseman (Leury Garcia had the day off for rest), Brian Goodwin to left field, and inserted Billy Hamilton into center field. Rodon struck out another two batters and ended the inning on a Sano flyout, and things were looking good.
The fifth inning had a different story to tell, however. Alex Kirilloff led things off with a double to center that Billy Hamilton couldn't quite get to as he was shifted away from where the ball was hit. Gilberto Celestino then singled to left to ostensibly put runners at the corners and nobody out, but...Goodwin's throw back into the infield somehow couldn't be corralled by any of the primary or backup defenders, bounding away from home. Kirilloff was able to slide in around Rodon's tag and get the Twins on the board, 3-1, while Celestino advanced to second. Andrelton Simmons promptly doubled into the left field corner to make it 3-2, then Jorge Polanco bunted a single at Andrew Vaughn (who, truth be told, didn't look entirely comfortable fielding it; unsurprising) to give the Twins four straight hits. A Josh Donaldson sac fly tied things up at three, with Nelson Cruz up next. During that at-bat, Polanco was able to advance to second on a wild pitch, then singled to left which Goodwin bobbled, allowing Polanco to score and give the Twins a 4-3 lead. Rodon was able to squirm out of the inning, though, despite his control somewhat deserting him. He got Larnach and Sano to strikeout, sandwiched between a walk by Jeffers. Rodon's line: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 9 Ks, 2 BBs.
The White Sox, however, weren't about to go quietly into the good afternoon. Grandal reached on an E4 and Brian Goodwin doubled to left center to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Andrew Vaughn hit a sac fly to left to knot things 4-4, though Gavin Sheets flied out and Mendick popped up to end the inning. Jose Berrios' line: 5 IP, 10 H, 4 R (3 earned), 1 BB, 0 Ks. Incredibly unusual for Berrios to not record a single strikeout, and he allowed a season-high in hits.
Michael Kopech pitched the sixth, and while his control wasn't all there, he went 1-2-3 and retained all his velocity. With Jorge Alcala on in relief, Zack Collins greeted him with a big ol' dinger to left-center to put the Sox back on top, 5-4.
After TA lined out, Billy Hamilton (he of the hitting on the right side against a right-handed pitcher) smoked a hanging slider into the left field corner for a double. Promptly stealing third base, Abreu tacked on another run with a sac fly to right center for a two run cushion, 6-4.
In the seventh, Codi Heuer made things interesting yet again. After Jorge Polanco popped up for the first out, Heuer walked Donaldson and Cruz. Tony LaRussa made the pitching change to Garrett Crochet. Larnach struck out for the second out, then Crochet walked Jeffers to load the bases. Happily, Miguel Sano struck out again to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Not content with just 6 runs, the Sox added on in the bottom of the seventh. After Brian Goodwin walked, Andrew Vaughn had an awesome at-bat against Hansel Robles. Vaughn went 3-0, then Robles came back to a 3-2 count. Vaughn then fouled off five straight before hitting the eleventh pitch of the sequence into left field. After Sheets struck out, Danny Mendick singled into right-center for a 7-4 lead. In came Derek Law to face Zack Collins who dumped a 2-2 slider into right to make it 8-4 White Sox. Tim Anderson struck out, and though Billy Hamilton grounded out to end the inning, it wasn't before Collins stole second for his first bag of the season.
Ryan Burr continued his good pitching in the eighth inning. Though he allowed a leadoff single to Alex Kirilloff to end his streak of consecutive batters retired at 15, he began a new streak, getting Luis Arraez to fly out, a 5-4 force out by Simmons, and a Polanco pop-out to TA.
The Sox couldn't add on in the eighth, so it was up to Liam Hendriks to close out the game in the ninth. Things weren't quite easy-peasy, but as you might guess, he got the job done. Facing Donaldson and Cruz, he got the hard part done, inducing a Donaldson pop-up and having Brian Goodwin corral yet another zinger from Cruz for the second out. Larnach doubled, however, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Jeffers singled home Larnach to make it 8-5, but good ol' Miguel Sano struck out to end the game.
Game Notes
- Yoan Moncada left the game with a bruised right hand and is listed as day-to-day. The White Sox expect him to miss the series in Detroit, but to return for the series against the Twins.
- Nelson Cruz's 41st birthday was today. He went 6-10 in this series, continuing his utter torment against the Sox. Far more palatable when the Twins are the ones getting swept.
- The White Sox scored 28 runs in the series, and are now 8-1 against the Twins on the season.
Record: 48-32 | Box Score
