Back on the first iteration of Sox Machine, I would occasionally summarize fan-murdering games like today's by using a picture of a brown lab taking a dump, with a somewhat guilty look on its face.
I can't use it now. I'd like to say it's because I've matured, but it's more that I don't have rights to the photo. But those of you who were on the site way back when will know what I'm talking about, and agree that this game would've warranted it.
At any rate, the followed-from-work bullet-point recap:
*This might have been the most visually depressing White Sox game in recent memory. Between the one hour, 39-minute rain delay to start the game that limited attendance to the fraction of the 11,107 announced in attendance, the immediate early hole created by Reynaldo López, the fecklessness of the White Sox offense and more embarrassing play defensively, this looked like a team playing out the string of a season that's only 11 games old.
*López started the string of ugly performances by White Sox starters, and he continued it, giving up eight runs on 10 hits (three homers) and four walks. He needed 104 pitches to get through 4⅓ innings, and that included a seven-pitch second. His command was awful.
*Conversely, Tyler Glasnow was dominant, striking out 11 White Sox while limited them to two singles and the random four-pitch walk to Daniel Palka. (Palka also drew a four-pitch free pass on Opening Day, the only one yielded by Brad Keller.)
*The White Sox had one chance to get back into this game. Palka drew the aforementioned walk to start the third, then moved to third two batters later on Leury García's single up the middle. Alas, Glasnow struck out Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu to end the threat.
*The Rays took the threat seriously, kicking the game out of reach the next frame. López retired the first two batters, then gave up back-to-back homers to Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham. Ji-Man Choi then hit a liner to right that Palka whiffed on and came home on a single by Avísail García.
*Palka also airmailed a throw home in the ninth on Willy Adames' RBI single. Adames took second of the throw, and might've been able to advance further had Welington Castillo's wild throw to second not hit umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. Palka also struck out in his other two plate appearances, so he's now 0-for-25.
*Palka wasn't credited with an error for either miscue, so his fielding percentage remains a perfect 1.000 for his career. Moncada was charged with an error for letting a grounder skip under his glove while shifted at the shortstop position.
*Tim Anderson once again produced in vain, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. He also wiped his nose on Choi's sleeve, after which Choi offered further assistance.
*Eloy Jiménez finally recorded an extra-base hit, a double to left off Jalen Beeks. Beeks gave up the lone Sox run, but he still got the save for pitching the final three innings.
*Caleb Frare was optioned to Charlotte after the game.
Record: 3-8 | Box score | "Highlights"
