White Sox 11, Tigers 0: Dylan Goes the Distance

I am quite unfortunately a Chicago Bears fan, despite my best efforts to not be. I only tell you this, loyal reader, because to be very honest with you for the first couple innings of the White Sox game I had half an eye on the game, and an eye and a half on the NFL Draft. The Bears shocked the NFL world and drafted Justin Fields, I screamed and scared my roommates, and that is that.

I apologize for the digression, but I promise that’s the last Bears talk for the night.

Anyway, back to our boys on the South Side.

After taking the first game of two, 3-1, earlier in the day, Dylan Cease and the Sox took care of business in the nightcap by a tally of 11-0.

Detroit starting pitcher Matthew Boyd entered the game with a 1.82 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, but as I wrote about in my gamethread opener, is still a lefty, and therefore is vulnerable to the southpaw-slaughtering Sox. Boyd walked Yasmani Grandal and surrendered a double to Andrew Vaughn in the bottom of the second, before departing with an injured knee, giving way to former starter Michael Fulmer.

Leury García DIDN’T bunt, instead greeting Fulmer with an RBI single, and Nicky “Two Strikes” Madrigal followed with an RBI single of his own, and did it with, you guessed it ... two strikes!

After a Yoán Moncada walk, José Abreu shot a single down the line, scoring two more runs extending the Sox lead to 4-0. The Sox didn’t look back and piled on seven more runs with the help of dingers from Yermín Mercedes and Moncada.

The story of the night was Dylan Cease. Cease delivered what was easily his best start of the season, and quite frankly, one of the best of his young career. He struck out eight Tigers, which is more than he struck out in any individual game in 2020. It’s hard to say if Cease’s success was more about his own adjustments or just the Tigers being bad, but the Sox and Cease will take it nonetheless.

My wonderful North Side Sox co-host, Janice Scurio noticed a development in Cease’s repertoire that was unfamiliar until Thursday night’s game. Cease threw the full seven innings, allowed three hits, struck out nine, and walked nobody.

Somewhat shockingly, at least to me, this was only the second start of Cease’s career he allowed zero runs in start.

With the loss, the Tigers dropped 10 games under .500 at 8-18, while the Sox improved to 14-10, currently sitting 1.5 behind the A.L. Central leading ... Royals? Yeah! Royals. At least for now.

Oh, one more thing, this is my formal apology to Leury García. How could I have ever doubted you?

The Sox open up a three-game set with Cleveland’s Baseball team tomorrow night at 7:10 p.m. Cleveland sends one of the game’s best pitchers in Shane Bieber to the mound, against veteran lefty Dallas Keuchel. Colleen Sullivan has the game coverage, and MLB The Show darling Ashley Sanders is on the Six Pack.

Have a great weekend and see you in a couple of weeks, loves!