The Chicago White Sox were never too much into this game, at least until the very end, ultimately seeing their ninth-inning rally fall one tick shy in an 8-7 defeat.
Three guesses as to why:
Yep, another Mike Trout gem made it awfully hard for the White Sox to get on top of this one.
Reynaldo López was due for a clunker, and this was it, with five earned runs in just 5 1⁄3 innings, nine hits, two walks and six Ks.
It could have been worse, but Tim Anderson had a stellar defensive night.
First, dig the pick Anderson makes while being screened by third baseman Leury García in the first:
This play to end the third wasn’t just miraculous, but retired Justin Upton by a full step. OK, Upton might not be the fleetest of foot, but, wow.
José Abreu was the offensive star of the night, with two home runs to power the White Sox. The first tied the game in the fourth, 2-2, and tied Abreu with Robin Ventura for sixth on the franchise’s all-time home runs list.
The second, in the seventh inning, helped put the White Sox in position for a ninth-inning comeback:
The four-spot in the ninth ended up falling just short of a tie game for Chicago. James McCann got things started with an RBI triple, with an assist to some poor midfielder work from right fielder Brian Goodwin:
Beefy Welington got the White Sox to within one, with a bonecrusher oppo taco:
Alas, the rally fell short, as a single, fielder’s choice and whiff wrapped up the White Sox’s 66th loss of the season.
It’s another late one tomorrow night, as Bill Walton lumbers into the broadcast booth tomorrow night and surely horrifies clean-cut Jason Benetti, Maui Invitational-style.