Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Bobby Miller didn't have it tonight.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, any other pitcher would do.
The White Sox jumped on Miller for three runs over the course of their first four batters, and then Miller allowed three of the five batters he faced in the second to reach, although a double play eased the tension. Dave Roberts didn't let him start the third, instead turning the game over to the bullpen, which covered the last seven innings in scoreless fashion.
Chris Flexen couldn't make those three runs of support hold up, although he pitched better than his line indicated. He gave up a cheap homer to Shohei Ohtani to open the game -- a 93.8 mph "blast" that would've left only nine of 30 parks and breezed the glove of a leaping Tommy Pham on its way over the wall -- and Freddie Freeman's game-tying opposite-field two-run shot in the third didn't reach triple digits (98.2 mph), either.
His defense helped the decisive run cross the plate an inning later. Flexen created the potential trouble by walking Gavin Lux, but then Miguel Vargas' ordinary grounder to the left side deflected off the glove of a diving Lenyn Sosa, who probably could've let it go to Paul DeJong for a much easier play. That put runners on the corners, and while Cavan Biggio's fly ball wasn't deep enough for the Dodgers to test Andrew Benintendi's arm, letting the inning get to Ohtani paid off. He swatted a grounder through the right side to put the Dodgers ahead 4-3, and that's where the score stayed the remainder of the game.
The White Sox had chances. They both outhit the Dodgers (8-7) and outwalked the Dodgers (6-3, or 6-4 counting an HBP). They just never put the leadoff man on base once Miller left the game, and while they had three doubles against the Los Angeles bullpen, they couldn't come up with a second hit to capitalize. The Sox went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
They did have a couple of run-scoring hits in the first, but both scored runners from first base. Tommy Pham started the game with a walk, and Benintendi immediately compounded the mistake by socking a first-pitch fastball well into the fancy seats in right field to give the White Sox a 2-1 lead. Luis Robert Jr. then restarted a rally by reached on an infield single, and he scored on Eloy Jiménez's ensuing double to left. Such productive sequencing eluded them the rest of the game.
Bullet points:
*The White Sox bullpen pitched 3⅓ scoreless innings the rest of the way, and stranded the runner Flexen left for Tanner Banks, who faced Ohtani after Flexen failed to retire Ohtani in their first three matchups.
*Pham and Benintendi each reached base three times at the top of the order, combining for five of the White Sox's six walks.
*The mathematical first half of the season is in the books, thank goodness.
