Mariners 3, White Sox 1: Sox can’t figure out LeBlanc

After the opening frame’s first half it had the making of a good night for the White Sox. Leury Garcia and Daniel Palka both doubled to give the White Sox an early 1-0 lead. Then the offense went to sleep in Seattle, as Mariners pitcher Wade LeBlanc struck out ten batters on just 84 pitches on the way to a 3-1 victory over the Sox.

James Shields couldn’t hold the lead in the first inning as the defense did him no thanks. Dee Gordon, who the White Sox couldn’t figure out a way to keep him off the bases, singled and advanced to second on Jean Segura’s fly out to center. Gordon made it to second thanks to Adam Engel’s throwing error. Mitch Haniger singled sharply to left to put runners on the corners with one out. Nelson Cruz would drive in Gordon on a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the game, 1-1.

Shields got into a rhythm pitching clean second and third innings before finding trouble again in the fourth. Kyle Seager hit his 24th double of 2018 to get the rally going. Denard Span singled sharply to left field to put runners on first and third again with just one out. Ryon Healy would drive in Seager on a hard one-hopper to Yolmer Sanchez at third. If Sanchez fields it cleanly, he had options of either trying to turn two or easily get Seager out at home. Neither happens as Sanchez can’t corral the grounder, and his only play is to throw out Healy at first.

Down 2-1, the White Sox wouldn’t get another rally going until the eighth. Omar Narvaez singled to end LeBlanc’s night finishing 7.1 IP 4 H 1 ER 1 BB 10 K. Alex Colome replaced LeBlanc, and allowed a single to Yolmer Sanchez on his first pitch. With runners on first and second, Tim Anderson hit a deepish fly to right field allowing Narvaez to tag up and advance to third base. Now with two outs, Leury Garcia hit a line drive but right at the center fielder to end the threat.

Mariners would add one more run in the eighth as Nelson Cruz singled in his second RBI to make it 3-1. There could have been more runs scored for Seattle, but Jose Abreu made a nice defensive play to throw out a runner at home plate to keep it a two-run game. With the way 2018 is going, for both Seattle and Chicago, those two runs were too difficult to come by as Edwin Diaz closed the door for his 37th save this season.

Yoan Moncada was 0-for-2 with two walks, but if you look at the strike zone, he should have walked four times. James Shields continues to lower his season ERA as it’s down to 4.26 after going 7 IP 7 H 2 R 1 ER 1 BB 5 K.

Ryan LaMarre gets to enjoy a cross-country flight from Seattle to Charlotte as he was optioned after the game.


Record: 33-63 | Box Score

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sgp2204

laser umps

tommytwonines

If it seems like the Sox strike out all the time, but can’t strike anyone out, you’re right. 

Dead last in batting strikeouts – 30 of 30 as of today. 

28th of 30 in pitching strikeouts per team.

A good recipe for… what we’ve been seeing this year.