Six Pack of Stats: Cleveland 3, White Sox 1 (nightcap)

Well, the White Sox hoped that fortune could strike twice and another doubleheader sweep was in the offing. No dice. Jimmy Lambert had an OK first major league start, but the South Siders simply could get nothing going vs. Cal Quantrill and the rest of Cleveland’s bullpen.

---

The Starters

Jimmy Lambert, who entered play tonight with only two career innings in the majors, allowed three runs (all earned) on seven hits in 3 ²⁄₃ innings. After a 1-2-3 first, Lambert ran into trouble with two outs in the second, when Cleveland got on the board with three consecutive singles. After the White Sox tied it in the top of the third, José Ramírez launched a two-run homer in the bottom half to give Cleveland a 3-1 lead.

For someone with such a small amount of major league experience, Lambert did not embarrass himself. During his brief outing, the righty mostly kept Cleveland in check. However, he paid heavily for a mistake against Cleveland’s best offensive player, and the White Sox ultimately could not overcome the Ramírez home run. Here is a closer look at Lambert’s 74-pitch performance:

Baseball Savant

Cal Quantrill, who is typically a relief pitcher, started on the mound for Cleveland. This was Quantrill’s first start of the season, and he made the most of the opportunity.

As expected, Quantrill was not in the game long, but he was effective in his 3 ²⁄₃ innings. Quantrill did not issue any walks, and he struck out five. The only extra-base hit Quantrill allowed was a double down the line to the speedy Billy Hamilton.

Here is how Quantrill’s 60-pitch performance shaped up:

Baseball Savant

---

Pressure Play

When Nick Madrigal faced Nick Wittgren in the top of the fifth, the White Sox had runners on first and second with one out. Wittgren was trying to preserve Cleveland’s 3-1 lead, and he did, as he struck out Madrigal. This play had an LI of 3.14, highest of the game.

---

Pressure Cooker

On average, Leury García faced the most high-pressure situations out of any player in this game, with a pLI of 2.90. García only had one plate appearance, as he entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Danny Mendick in the top of the seventh. García had the tough task of facing a hard thrower in Emmanuel Clase, and the White Sox had a runner on first and no outs. Unfortunately, García struck out, and the at-bat had a LI of 2.90.

---

Top Play

The go-ahead, two-run homer by Ramírez takes the cake, as it increased Cleveland’s odds of winning the game by 20.2% (.202 WPA). Bradley Zimmer’s two-run double came in second place (.123 WPA), and Yoán Moncada’s double to lead off the sixth finished third (.091 WPA).

---

Top Performer

Largely thanks to his home run, Ramírez claims this award, too, as he boosted Cleveland’s odds of winning the game by 17.8% (.178 WPA). Jake Lamb takes home the silver medal with a .122 WPA (1-for-2 with a walk).

---

Smackdown

Hardest hit: In the sixth inning, Moncada led off with a double that was quite well-hit (106.6 mph exit velocity). Bradley Zimmer’s RBI single in the second finished just behind (105.4 mph).

Weakest contact: Eddie Rosario’s pop out in the second inning left the bat at only 52.8 mph and had an xBA of .050.

Luckiest hit: Amed Rosario’s third-inning single was beaten into the ground (negative 20-degree launch angle), but it found a hole despite having an xBA of only .170.

Toughest out: The fly out by Jake Bauers in the third was crushed (101.8 mph exit velocity, 28-degree launch angle). Balls with that combination fall in for a hit 73% of the time, but Billy Hamilton tracked it down in center field.

Longest hit: To the surprise of nobody, the Ramírez home run traveled farther than any other ball in play tonight, as it landed 419 feet from home plate. The fly out by Bauers claims the silver medal (387 feet).

---

Magic Number: 12

Contact was an issue for the White Sox, as they struck out 12 times despite playing only seven innings. Yesterday, during the 3-1 win over Baltimore, Lucas Giolito struck out exactly 12 in seven innings. But, tonight, the White Sox were on the opposite end of a high-strikeout performance in another 3-1 game.

---

Glossary

Hard-hit is any ball off the bat at 95 mph or more
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

---

---

South Side Sox Roll Call

steely3000 abdicated his throne by missing the nightcap, allowing Trooper Galactus to swoop in with an easy win in a 124-comment thread.

And Trooper also absorbed all the multiple recs, including the only green:

(he didn’t juggle it)