Giolito establishes a new career high in Ks, but Good Guys shut out in 2-0 loss

Although the Chicago White Sox couldn’t win their third straight series, Lucas Giolito still pitched brilliantly, and any day celebrating Harold Baines is a good one!

In a pitcher’s duel against the Oakland Athletics, it’s time to take a look at both pitchers’ brilliance, and how one pitch decided the outcome of the game:

Lucas Giolito started the game with a breezy 1-2-3 inning. Tim Anderson snared the first out of the game in a beautiful fashion:

TA7 followed up his defensive performance with a one-out double in the bottom half of the inning — the only extra-base hit for the Good Guys.

Yeah, it’s really nice having Tim back in the lineup.

Giolito absolutely cruised through the first three innings. First time through the order, the tall righty struck out seven batters, courtesy of the high fastball. However, the tables turned a bit for the second time through the order.

In the fourth, Jon Jay brought a homer back into the park, downgrading Matt Chapman’s clout from four- to two-bagger. However, next batter Matt Olson took Giolito deep for the two-run home run that was the opening, and only, scoring of the game.

Like the ace that Gio is, he kept the damage at two, as he pitched out of the inning with his eighth strikeout of the game.

Like the teammates that Lucas has, José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez reached base via the single in the bottom half of the inning. On a full count with two outs, Yolmer Sánchez should have loaded the bases with a walk, but Joe West called a strikeout on a pitch that was high and out of the strike zone, ending any hope of a fourth-inning rally.

Although his team had yet to put any runs on the board, Giolito settled back into the game, and he reached 10 strikeouts in the fifth with only one walk allowed.

Luc-ace kept it going in the sixth when he recorded his third straight strikeout to start an inning and tied his season high of 11 strikeouts. For his fourth straight strikeout, the 12th whiff marked Giolito’s new career high, 12 strikeouts. To keep with the trend, G-elite-o struck out his fifth straight batter for a new career high of 13 Ks.

Unfortunately, at 103 pitches, Lucas wasn’t able to go out and pitch the seventh. Regardless, he pitched phenomenally, in another quality start.

Here’s a neat stat:

As for Chris Bassitt, the White Sox could not solve his case once again this season. Bassitt pitched seven shutout innings; he gave up four hits and two walks, and he struck out seven.

Jake Diekman, Joakim Soria, and Liam Hendricks finished the shutout, as the South Siders drop the series, 1-2, and the season series, 1-5. The Sox failed in their bid to win a third straight series, but have no fear, they’ll be back at it tomorrow.

The White Sox will continue their homestand in a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Tomorrow’s 7:10 CT game will feature Dylan Cease (2-4, 6.00 ERA) vs. Zack Greinke (11-4, 3.08 ERA). NBC Sports Chicago has the broadcast, WGN has the radio, and Darren Jackson will have your SSS coverage! Time to start a new series-winning streak!