Six Pack of Stats: Mariners 8, White Sox 4

A game that started at 3:10 p.m. CT with a lot of hope buzzing around a series sweep ended at 6:58 p.m. as a dismal loss for the Chicago White Sox. A seven-run sixth inning for the Seattle Mariners, as well as poor baserunning and defense for the Sox were the keys to the defeat.

As a result, the White Sox finish this road trip with a 3-4 record, which also serves as their overall record. However, have no fear, the Sox travel back home tonight for their home opener tomorrow!

The Starters

In his second start of the season, Dallas Keuchel worked his way through five innings. Over the course of those 15 outs, Keuchel surrendered three runs off of four hits and three walks, though he did strike out three batters.

He threw a total of 93 pitches, and this is how they break down:
Sinker: 38% | 9 called strikes + 5 whiffs (36%) | 87.8 mph avg.
Changeup: 28% | 1 called strike + 3 whiffs (25%) | 80.2 mpg avg.
Cutter: 24% | 2 called strikes + 2 whiffs (20%) | 85.2 mph avg.
Slider: 9% | 3 called strikes + 1 whiff (50%) | 77.2 mph avg.
4-seam fastball: 2% | 0 called strikes + 0 whiffs (0%) | 89.1 mph avg.

Keuchel did give up a max exit velocity at 107.1 mph.

For the M and M’s without the first M, Justin Dunn worked one-third less of an inning than Keuchel with his 4 ²⁄₃. Not Adam Dunn only gave up one hit, but he walked eight. Like Keuchel, he gave up three runs and also recorded three strikeouts.

Justin, once again like Dallas, threw 93 pitches:
4-seam fastball: 43% | 8 called strikes and 3 whiffs (27%) | 94.0 mph avg.
Curveball: 35% | 8 called strikes and 1 whiff (13%) | 80.8 mph avg.
Slider: 20% | 2 called strikes and 2 whiffs (20%) | 84.5 mph avg.
Sinker: 1% | 0 called strikes and 0 whiffs (0%) | 89.6 mph avg.

Dunn’s max exit velocity given up was 111.9 mph.

Pressure Play

There were several bases-loaded situations for both the South Siders and Mariners, but the one during the bottom of the sixth created the biggest pressure play of the game. Bases full of green and blue, J.P. Crawford singled to right field (4.37 LI); it only scored one run, but it was the second run of a seven-run inning.

Pressure Cooker

Without a doubt, Matt Foster falls victim to the pressure cooker with a 3.22 pLI. Appearing in that dismal sixth inning, Foster got just two outs, but he gave up a lot of damage in the process: five runs, off of five hits and one walk.

Top Play

The play creating the best win probability added (WPA) was Kyle Seager’s bases-clearing double (.303) to untie the 4-4 ballgame and put his team up by the score of 7-4. Seager inside-outted his swing on a pretty well-placed pitch right outside of the zone to find the open left field due to the shift.

Top Performer

Playing off of the top play (haha), Not Corey Seager was also this afternoon game’s top performer with a .396 WPA.

Smackdown

Despite this high-scoring affair, surprisingly none of the runs benefitted via the home run. Luis Robert takes the Smackdown title today, with the hardest-hit ball of the day at 111.9 mph (double) and sixth-hardest (100.8 mph double play).

Luckiest hit Nick Madrigal (87.4 mph double), .370 xBA (tied for 30th-lowest of the game)
Toughest out Luis Robert (100.8 mph double-play grounder), .650 xBA (ninth-highest of the game)
Hardest hit Luis Robert (11.9 mph double), .860 xBA
Weakest contact Danny Mendick (48.5 mph pop out), .010 xBA
Longest hit Mitch Haniger (344-foot sacrifice fly), 100.1 mph, .290 xBA

Glossary

LI measures pressure per play
pLI measures total pressure faced in game
Whiff a swing-and-miss
WPA win probability added measures contributions to the win
xBA expected batting average