Nicky D drives home a second straight White Sox walk-off winner, 6-4

After a not-so positive day for Chicago White Sox fans, given the possible Tommy John surgery news for Carlos Rodón, the South Siders applied some RBDQ mojo to find a way to make up for it.

Nicky Delmonico, who grounded out in a pinch-hitting appearance in the seventh inning, turned on a meatball of an 0-1 slider from Boston Red Sox reliever Ryan Brasier with one out in the bottom of the ninth to secure a 6-4 White Sox walk-off win.

Some three-and-a-half hours earlier, the fresh-from-IL Lucas Giolito was able to get out of a first inning, bases-loaded situation allowing just one run: A sac fly from Rafael Devers that scored reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts.

Chicago brought counterpunch power to the game right away, as Leury García cracked a leadoff double off of David Price, and two outs later James McCann cranked one out to give the White Sox the lead, 2-1. Remember last week, when I questioned James McCann batting cleanup? He has been nothing but great there, batting .473 from the No. 4 spot. I am glad McCann has proven me wrong.

The White Sox lead didn't last long, though, as Giolito gave up an oppo taco to Andrew Benintendi, tying the game 2-2 in the third. Boston wasn’t done, as Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez reached base to extend the inning. Once again Devers brought home Betts — this time on a ground out to first — giving the wrong Sox a 3-2 lead.

Giolito’s night was done after five innings. He gave up seven hits and three earned runs, while striking out seven, all told a good game for his first game back from the injured list. His pitching looked good, overall he looked healthy, and he pitched well against a very good Red Sox lineup. Definitely a good game, and one for him to build off of for his next start.

McCann struck again in the sixth inning, doubling to deep center with one out. Third base coach Nick Capra, who seems to not recognize there’s three colors on a stoplight, sent José Abreu (on first with a walk) to his death at home, trying to tie the game.

The White Sox lineup picked up Capra and Abreu, however, as Yoán Moncada advanced McCann to third on an infield single and José Rondón ripped a single to tie the game 3-3.

The tie didn't last long, as Evan Marshall issued a leadoff walk to Benintendi in the seventh, and after a Betts single and J.D. Martinez ground out, it was 4-3, Red Sox.

Come the ninth, White Sox fans were forced to hope for a second straight walk-off miracle — and that's just what we got. Brasier’s attempt to close out the win was doomed to failure almost from the start, with help from his fielders. The righthander whiffed Moncada to lead off the frame, but Rondón reached first base on a Devers error. Yonder Alonso, last night’s walk-off hero, kept the inning alive with a single.

Then, the unthinkable got thunk: Delmonico cranked one to center, just past the outstretched glove of a desperate Jackie Bradley Jr., giving the White Sox a 6-4 win.

Even tempering an overreaction to tonight’s drama, there may be something special about this White Sox team. The South Siders have had three walk-offs in the past six days. No matter what adversity is handed to them, they have always found a way to battle back, and they sure have been fun to watch in doing so.

Alonso was last night’s hero. Tonight it was Nicky D. Who will run the victory lap tomorrow night?

Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to the game to see our old friend Chris Sale duel it out with Reynaldo López. Sale has been off to a pretty rough start this season, meanwhile López has been heating up, so it’s looking like a gem of a matchup.

And if we’re met with more devastating pitching news tomorrow ... I’ll bring my glove.