Dodgers 4, White Sox 3: Blame it on the Green Hats

It’s sad to say, but it the Dodgers are the kings of Camelback Ranch. Los Angeles defeated the White Sox, 4-3, on this sunny St. Patrick’s Day afternoon.

Let’s blame it on their green hats!

Lucas Giolito started for the Pale Hose, going 3 ²⁄₃ innings with three hits, two walks, two earned runs, and six strikeouts. It was a difficult spring outing for a guy who’s not trying to compete for a spot. Giolito’s pitch movement was excellent, but the location wasn’t up to snuff. Giolito was able to refocus his efforts when he found himself in a jam — a quality that all ace pitchers have.

Chicago was able to snag five hits off of Dodgers starter Walker Buehler, but his four-seam fastball proved too difficult; after all, he only gave up six hits on his four-seam all of last season.

The White Sox were able to capitalize on a wild pitch from Buehler in the bottom of the first inning to make it a 1-0 ballgame. But the Dodgers would answer right back in the top of the second with a Will Smith home run off of Giolito, and again in the third on a double to left from Austin Barnes, scoring Gavin Lux to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

From the third inning on, the game was quiet around home plate. The White Sox would strand multiple runners, at least until the bottom of the ninth.

The relief pitching certainly deserves a mention for its role in the five-inning run drought. Evan Marshall relieved Giolito for the last out in the fourth, and his first pitch was a breaker that fell off the face of the Earth. Liam Hendricks pitch the full fifth inning, striking out one. And Aaron Bummer looked like the greatest pitcher of all time, with three strikeouts in the sixth. It’s great to see him back and healthy.

The top of the eighth inning would be the downfall for the Sox. Relief pitcher José Ruiz had control issues, giving up two hits, two walks, and two earned runs in 1 ¹⁄₃ innings, extending the Dodgers lead to 4-1.

New Sox addition Billy Hamilton walked and stole second base in the bottom of the eighth inning. His hitting isn’t what it used to be, but he’s 30 years old and still runs like a deer.

The White Sox finally dug their cleats in during a rally in the bottom of the ninth. After a Matt Reynolds homer over the right-field fence, Yermín Mercedes singled pinch-runner Zach Remillard to second, with both runners advancing again on a wild pitch by Dodgers pitcher Ryan Pepiot. Remillard would then score on a ground out by Danny Mendick, making it a 4-3 ballgame.

With the sacks packed by Andrew Vaughn and José Abreu hit-by-pitches and two outs, in stepped Hamilton. And, we all know how Hamilton ends ... with a pop-up. (I think that’s right ... Lin Manuel Miranda, can you confirm?)

It was a tough day for the South Siders, but it’s just spring training. Even though it wasn’t the outcome Chicago wanted, the late-game effort by the team proves that the ninth inning means just as much as the first, and the Sox have the firepower to come back in any game.

And again, let’s blame it on the green hats.