White Sox 4, Marlins 2: Carlos Rodon gets a win

On May 22nd against the Kansas City Royals, Carlos Rodon pitched well enough to earn his second win of 2016. Almost three months later, he earns his third win of the campaign, and it came with a heavy workload. A 122-pitch outing in six innings of one-run ball and Adam Eaton matched a career-high with four base hits as the White Sox defeated the Miami Marlins, 4-2.

Chicago started very fast against Miami's Andrew Cashner with four straight hits to start the first. Eaton leads it off with a single and would have scored on Tyler Saladino drive to the gap if the ball didn't trampoline over the wall for a ground-rule double. Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu added singles, and it was a quick 2-0 lead for the Sox. They had an opportunity to blow the game wide open with the bases loaded, but Tim Anderson grounded into the 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

In the second inning, Saladino got his RBI with a single to right field as Omar Navarez making it 3-0. After a Melky Cabrera walk, the bases were loaded again for Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier. Before the game, Abreu's son, Dariel, asked his Dad for a home run. Perhaps being a bit too amped to make something big happen, Abreu struck out swinging at pitches out of the zone, and Frazier followed that up with another strike out. Two straight innings with an opportunity to blow the game wide open and the Sox failed to do so. For a team that is desperate need of an easy, blowout win tonight was a missed opportunity.

Miami got on the board in the fourth, as J.T. Realmuto single scored Martin Prado. With runners on first and second, Rodon then engaged in a battle with Miguel Rojas. A 12-pitch affair that saw seven foul balls, Rodon eventually would win the duel as Rojas flew out to center, keeping the Sox ahead 3-1.

That lead would increase back to three runs as Abreu and Frazier make good contact this time. A hard line drive for Abreu and an almost home run that ricochet off the center field wall put runners on second and third with nobody out. Supposedly the contact play was on when J.B. Shuck grounded to first, but Abreu made a bad jump on his way to home and was thrown out at home for the first out. Thankfully, Tim Anderson was able to hit it deep enough to right for Frazier to score.  Shuck advanced to second base on the throw. With first base open and pitcher on-deck, the Marlins elected to walk Navarez intentionally, forcing Rodon to bat. Cashner was able to strike him out and ended another threat for Chicago to blow the game open.

Already at 101 pitches, manager Robin Ventura kept Carlos Rodon in the sixth to face Giancarlo Stanton. With the green light on 3-0, Stanton couldn't connect well enough on a 91-mph fastball and flew out to center. Marcell Ozuna would follow suit and fly out to Shuck on an 83-mph changeup. Now at 112 pitches, Realmuto didn't make it easy on Rodon as he fouled off six straight pitches but Rodon touched 97 mph on his final pitch to get a ground out to first.

Final line for Rodon was 6 IP 3 H 1 ER 3 BB 4 K.

Already with plenty of chances to make this a blowout, the Sox thought to give it another try to expand their lead in the seventh. With runners on first and second, Navarez singled to right. Frazier on second tested Stanton's arm and just like last night in Kansas City, the baserunner trying to slide around the catcher was tagged out. Unlike the previous game, Frazier did clearly appear to touch home plate, but the tag was also applied, and Ventura didn't bother to ask for a review. Justin Morneau would come in to pinch hit but struck out ending another White Sox threat.

In the bottom half, Miami made a rally for themselves as Ichiro Suzuki pinch-hit double to put runners on second and third with just one out. Dee Gordon would drive in Adeiny Hechavarria with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 4-2. Nate Jones entered the game, and his wild pitch put Ichiro on third. He would stay there, as Prado grounded out to short ending the threat.

In the eighth, Jones was on point striking out Christian Yelich and Stanton for a 1-2-3 inning. Setting up David Robertson to close the game out. Instead of demonstrating a lack of control as he did in Kansas City, Robertson was able to locate his cutter striking out two and earned his 28th save.

Game Notes:

• For the tenth time in his career, Adam Eaton has a four-hit night.
• Omar Navarez had a great OBP night: 1-1, three walks. In seven games, Navarez is 8-18 with seven walks and striking out just once. He needs to play more.
• Chicago left 25 men on base.