4 key innings in White Sox 2nd consecutive walk-off loss
ST. PETERSBURG — There aren’t any ethical victories in baseball, because the White Sox are discovering out this weekend at Tropicana Field.
For a second consecutive contest, the White Sox battled the sport’s prime staff within the Rays, and for a second consecutive contest, they suffered a walk-off defeat. Saturday afternoon’s 4-3 loss in 10 innings elevated the Rays to 18-3 general and 12-0 at house, whereas the White Sox fell to 7-14 with a 3rd straight loss and 0-6-1 in collection play.
It’s probably the most video games under .500 for the South Siders since concluding the 2019 season at 72-89. That ‘19 staff was not designed to contend for the postseason. The 2023 model actually is.
“We are playing hard. We are competing,” White Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol stated. “We had an opportunity to win each video games.
“We’ve got a good team. I’m not going to question anything here. We got a good team. We prepare. We just gotta keep doing what we are doing.”
Here are 4 key moments Saturday as a part of the White Sox first back-to-back walk-off losses since Sept. 22-23, 2020 vs. Cleveland.
tenth inning: Walking Wander Franco
With pinch-runner Vidal Bruján on second and one out, Grifol deliberately walked Franco and pitted Randy Arozarena towards reliever Jimmy Lambert. Arozarena already had homered and pushed in three, and he accomplished his almost good night with a walk-off single to proper.
“We liked the matchup. We liked the Lambert-Arozarena matchup,” Grifol stated. “So, we’re good with it.”
What Grifol most likely didn’t like was the White Sox failing to attain and even advance pinch-runner Oscar Colás from second within the prime of the tenth. Seby Zavala grounded out, Lenyn Sosa struck out and Elvis Andrus flew out to middle.
Ninth inning: López returns
Reynaldo López gave up two ninth-inning house runs and a two-run lead throughout Friday’s loss, however Grifol was stringent in his assertion López would return Saturday if the high-leverage alternative offered itself. López hurled an ideal ninth, putting out one, and clearly wasn’t shaken by Friday’s walk-off setback.
“I feel for Reynaldo, absolutely,” stated Lambert earlier than Saturday’s recreation. “But I wouldn’t say I feel sorry for him. Reynaldo López is, arguably, a Top 10 reliever in the league. What he did last year, if you look at his numbers over 65 innings, when that guy is right, he’s a Top 10 arm out of the bullpen in the league. He is going to be just fine.”
Fifth inning: Cease’s workload
A 35-pitch first inning, of which 20 have been strikes, shortened Dylan Cease’s workload on this aces-high matchup towards Shane McClanahan.
“At one point, I looked at my card and I think we went through the order twice and he had 90 pitches or something,” Grifol stated. “They had some good at-bats against him and they ran up the pitch count.”
“I wasn’t efficient and I wasn’t very consistent. So it wasn’t great,” Cease stated. “I was just falling behind a lot. I wasn’t executing fastballs very well. I kind of got into a groove with my slider a little bit later in the game, but really not having it that first inning cost me a ton of pitches. I adjusted decently well. Still, [I] need to be better.”
Cease labored 4 innings at 93 pitches, with Grifol attempting to get him by the fifth or no less than get a few outs. The right-hander gave technique to Keynan Middleton with runners on first and third and no person out, because the Rays pushed forward the go-ahead run.
Eighth inning: Sheets pinch-hits
Gavin Sheets had not performed since hitting a three-run homer on April 16 in a loss to Baltimore. But his left-handed energy bat got here by main off towards Jason Adam, launching his first profession pinch-hit house run on a 94 mph fastball up and properly out of the zone, per Statcast.
“Just was able to get on top of it and did some damage,” Sheets stated. “I’m not trying to do too much in that situation, just going against a tough guy and trying to put a good at-bat together.”
Sheets has been doing quite a lot of machine work, seeing high-velocity pitches, and attempting to get as many recreation reps as doable in his on-field absence.
“You just control what you can control,” Sheets stated. “Obviously, I want to be in there, but it’s staying ready for moments like that. It’s what I’ve got to do — focus on what I can control and get ready for any at-bat that could come my way.”
