Sox get swept in an embarrassing 12-0 loss

The first inning was an ominous one and a reason why many Sox fans are struggling with the rebuild.

After a good at-bat, Yoan Moncada struck out and then committed an error ranging to his right. The next batter was Jose Ramirez who crushed a three-run homer to centerfield.

It was not all Moncada’s fault, Reynaldo Lopez opened up the game with five straight balls and then left a pitch in the heart of the plate for Ramirez to clobber but the errors keep piling up for the young middle infield.

Reynaldo was able to battle through his command the next couple innings but he was still getting hit hard. Omar Narvaez gunned down a runner stealing third in the third inning to stop further damage. But in the fourth, a double that almost left the yard and a single into left-field scored another run.

By the fifth inning, Reynaldo unraveled, he walked his fourth batter and then gave up a sharp double to Yonder Alonso. He left the game pitching in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings with four earned runs, four walks, and six punchouts.

The game would get considerably worse once Bruce Rondon took over in the sixth. He would allow six runs with three walks, three hits, and one wild pitch. I would imagine the television numbers took quite a hit after Jason Kipnis’ three run bomb to take an 11-0 lead for the Indians.

Meanwhile, Corey Kluber was doing Corey Kluber things. He kept initiating weak contact but Narvaez was able to get a hit down the left field line, the only hit Kluber allowed. He left the game after seven nearly perfect innings with just one hit and one walk allowed with seven strikeouts. He had an 85 game score against Lopez’s 31.

The Indians even threw in Josh Tomlin in the ninth, that’s how bad the game was. Jose Abreu was able to double off of him, the second hit for the White Sox on the day.

Really there were only two good things about the game besides Narvaez’s hit. Daniel Palka made a great running catch in right. Well it was probably more unexpected than anything. Adam Engel also had a nice diving play coming in from center to save a couple more runs.

The Sox were outmatched in every possible way, even on the basepaths Cleveland proved to be far and away superior. The Indians were three of four in stolen bases and then nabbed Charlie Tilson on the lone Sox stolen base attempt.

The ugliness will continue as long as the AAAA placeholders are still on the Pale Hose and that does not seem to be changing anytime soon. At least Avisail and Leury Garcia are closer to sending Trayce Thompson away.