Dallas Keuchel had one bad inning. Unfortunately, that all it takes to lose a game to Shane Bieber.
Keuchel's early command issues loaded the bases for the heart of the Cleveland order in the fourth inning, and sure enough four runs came around to score. The White Sox offense forced Bieber to sweat -- especially relative to his scoreless nine innings the last time they saw him -- but they couldn't quite close the gap.
The Sox actually outhit the Clevelanders 8-5, and Bieber had to work around seven hits and a walk over his six innings, but 11 strikeouts helped mitigate the damage. Keuchel doesn't miss bats in the same way, so when he issues walks in clumps like he did today, it's harder for him to wriggle out of jams.
Case in point: the third inning. Keuchel took a 1-0 lead into the frame against the bottom of the Cleveland Nine, but they loaded the bases on a single and consecutive walks, which unwisely loaded the bases for José Ramírez. Ramírez scorched a 107-mph grounder between shortstop and second base to score two runs, and Ramírez took second on Luis Robert's ill-advised throw to third. That 90 feet hurt, because Ramírez moved up to third on Franmil Reyes' weak-but-effective RBI bouncer to third, then scored on Eddie Rosario's solid knock to center.
Bieber usually makes four runs of support hold up, although the White Sox jeopardized it. He struck out the side on 13 pitches to open the game, but the Sox tagged him for a run in the second because Amed Rosario took a goofy route on Robert's slicing liner to right center, allowing Yermín Mercedes to score all the way from first.
The Sox had a similar rally in store after Cleveland's four-spot. Nick Madrigal led off by dropping a double down the right-field line, deflecting off the glove of a diving Jordan Luplow. He then scored on Tim Anderson's single the way same way. Anderson stole second, then came around on Yoán Moncada's single through the shift between the second baseman and second base, making it a 4-3 game.
The Sox had chances elsewhere, but couldn't cross the plate again. They had two on with one out in the fifth, but José Abreu grounded into a fielder's choice and Mercedes flied out on first pitches. Leadoff singles by Yasmani Grandal in the sixth and Robert in the ninth went nowhere.
It didn't help that Ramírez struck again in the eighth, lofting an Evan Marshall changeup just over the wall in right for an insurance solo shot. That made it a two-run game, and for some reason, Tony La Russa balks at the idea of tying the game with one swing. After Robert led off the ninth with a single against 101-throwing Emmanuel Clase, he pinch-hit Andrew Vaughn with ... Leury García, who grounded out to second. Nick Madrigal hit for himself, who also grounded to second. Anderson ended the game with one more 4-3, but at least he posed the threat of a homer. It might've been nice to have at least one more crack at that.
Bullet points:
*Keuchel rebounded nicely from the third, finishing six innings on just 85 pitches.
*Anderson similarly recovered from his golden sombero the day before by going 2-for-5 with a pair of stolen bases, including one that the Sox successfully challenged for. He also had a nice night at shortstop, spearing a line drive for a highlight.
*Vaughn went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a bouncer to third against Bieber, struggling with fastballs and sliders away. It wouldn't have been a terrible idea to pinch-hit for him against Clase, provided that hitter was Zack Collins, but failing that ... García?
La Russa:
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) May 1, 2021
"I think García was a good shot to put the ball in play. The way I look at it too, Andrew started the game, so evidently there's a lot of confidence in him. But at that point, you don't want to walk in the clubhouse without taking your best shot. The team deserved it."
*Adam Eaton's OPS is down to .720 after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts from the seventh spot. Perhaps Robert should take his spot in the lineup.
