After a weekend that saw Dallas Keuchel and Lucas Giolito struggle, the Chicago White Sox hoped that Dylan Cease could keep the Minnesota Twins lineup in check. Especially since the offense has found a groove and has been generating five or more runs in seven straight games.
Nick Gordon delivered a back-breaking triple, and Max Kepler hit two homers as Cease followed suit with a poor start as the White Sox lose, 8-5.
Kepler hit his first home run of the night with a two-run shot in the second inning. Trevor Larnach added to the Twins lead in the third inning with an RBI single. After the halfway point, the White Sox offense was shut down by Twins starter Bailey Ober. The same Ober who allowed three home runs in just 3.1 innings pitched last week in Chicago. Ober left after the fifth inning holding the White Sox to just two hits while striking out seven.
It was up to the Twins bullpen to hold a three-run lead, and how things have gone for Minnesota in 2021, it wasn’t a given. Jose Abreu hit his 15th home run of 2021 with a solo shot in the sixth inning.
Put it on the board. pic.twitter.com/SKGRUU7sQ0
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 6, 2021
Cease’s job was to keep it a two-run game, and he didn’t have a great start to the bottom half of the sixth inning. A pitch hit Alex Kirilloff, and Kepler walked to put runners on as pitching coach Ethan Katz visited Cease. Working out a strategy against Miguel Sano, Cease struck out the slugger with a slider out of the zone. With one out, just one well-placed ground ball could get Cease out of the jam.
Facing Nick Gordon, who struck out in his first two plate appearances, Cease’s pitch count was above 100. Left-handed reliever Jace Fry was warm in the bullpen, but manager Tony La Russa stuck with his starter.
On a 2-2 knuckle-curve, Gordon split the gap in center field for a triple. La Russa replaced Cease for Fry, and that didn’t go to plan as a wild pitch allowed Gordon to score.
Down 6-1, the White Sox offense broke out in the seventh inning. Andrew Vaughn doubled to center field and only advanced to third base off Adam Eaton’s double to right field as he didn’t get the best read. With no outs, Leury Garcia stepped up with runners in scoring position. His grounder just squeezed out of the infield for a two-RBI single.
Tim Anderson walked, and Yoan Moncada was next with the critical hit. A hard-hit liner down the right-field line resulted in a two-RBI triple. Suddenly, it was a one-run game with the tying run on third base and Jose Abreu at-bat.
Abreu didn’t have the best result as he hit a grounder to third base. Moncada moved on contact, which with no outs is a curious base-running decision, and Luis Arraez threw him out at the home plate. That missed opportunity to tie the game hurt, as Abreu was stranded on first base as both Billy Hamilton and Zack Collins struck out.
It was still a one-run deficit going to the bottom of the eighth inning when Ryan Burr entered. Not having allowed a run in his 14 innings, it was another opportunity for the young right-hander to prove his mettle. It didn’t fare well for Burr. Kepler led it off with his second home run of the night, and Sano doubled to put Burr in a tight spot.
Sano advanced to third base on a wild pitch and would later score on Andrelton Simmons bunt. Burr fielded the bunt and had a window to throw out Sano at home but decided against doing that and instead threw Simmons out at first base.
Down 8-5, the White Sox did manage to get the game-tying run at the plate. With Moncada on second and Abreu on first base, Hamilton could only muster a grounder to Arraez at third base. Despite Hamilton’s speed, Arraez completed the game ending 5-3 double play.
Even the White Sox offense stretched their streak to eight straight games scoring five or more runs; the starting pitching has allowed six or more runs in three straight. Too big of a hole to dig out, resulting in three consecutive losses.
Making the loss more painful is Yasmani Grandal left the game with an apparent injury. After a check swing, Grandal limped out of the batter’s box and fell to the ground showing tremendous pain. Zack Collins replaced Grandal, and after the game, the White Sox primary catcher was on crutches.
Seby Zavala traveled with the ball club and would be Grandal’s replacement on the roster. An MRI is scheduled for Grandal tomorrow to learn more about the extent of his injury.
Game Notes:
- Good news: Tampa Bay walked off Cleveland
- Gavin Sheets went 1-for-3 with a double and was pinch-hit for by Jake Burger, who flew out.
- Garrett Crochet pitched a scoreless inning.
