In between the White Sox announcing a rain delay in the eighth inning while trailing 6-0 and resuming play, Robert Murray reported that they agreed to a one-year deal reunion with Mike Clevinger.
Then play resumed, Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off Dominic Leone to make it 9-0, the rain returned in the bottom of the inning, and NBC Sports Chicago called it a game. It took about 20 minutes for anybody else to make it official.
Such is the state of the White Sox organization. After three competent one-run losses to the Tigers to open the season, this one looks like a more accurate harbinger of the days to come.
Here's a bullet-point recap, since the game didn't deserve the dignity of connected paragraphs.
*The White Sox had one opportunity to make life difficult on the Braves, when they loaded the bases with two outs after a single, walk and HBP. Paul DeJong then struck out on three consecutive fastballs, and the White Sox only had four baserunners over the final eight innings.
*Chris Flexen started strong, but eventually caved in. The Braves opened the scoring in a quiet fashion when Ronald Acuña Jr. barely beat out a double-play ball for the game's first run in the third, but the contract only grew louder.
*The Braves strung together three hard-hit balls for a single, double and two-run Orlando Arcia double in the fourth, and while Dominic Fletcher flagged down a warning-track drive to open the fifth, Flexen didn't survive the inning. He left two baserunners on with one out for Bryan Shaw, who immediately recorded a flyout, but then issued a walk and a wild pitch for a 4-0 deficit.
*Shaw then gave up a double, double and single in the sixth that kicked the game out of reach, if it weren't already.
*Flexen only struck out one batter over 4 ⅓ innings, and recorded just four swinging strikes on 85 pitches. His performance might not be the reason the Sox signed Clevinger, but it illustrated it well enough.
*The Braves had the seven hardest-hit balls on a cold afternoon, and nine of 10. Fletcher's 100-mph lineout was the sole interloper.
*Yoán Moncada went 2-for-3 with the lone extra-base hit and a walk. He also made a nifty charging play on a weak grounder early.
*The White Sox went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Three of those at-bats were after Moncada's leadoff double in the third.
*Luis Robert Jr. struck out in all four trips to the plate, and DeJong went 3-for-3.
*Nicky Lopez was cut down trying to steal second, so he's 0-for-2 on the season.
*Jordan Leasure was the only pitcher unscored upon, throwing his second scoreless inning in as many tries.
*Jason Bourgeois forgot he was the first base coach in the bottom of the eighth inning.
