Pirates 6, White Sox 3: Grandal’s Pinch-Hit Homer Goes to Waste

The White Sox entered the game dragging their first four-game losing streak of the season. Lucas Giolito and the South Siders looked to snap that streak, but despite a clutch, pinch-hit home run to take the lead late, they could not get it done.

The first scoring threat of the game was in the top of the third. Surprisingly, with two outs and nobody on base, the threat started when Giolito sliced a single (105.6 mph exit velocity) to left.

Then, Tim Anderson hit a line drive to right field, and Giolito advanced to third. Unfortunately, Brian Goodwin got underneath a cutter and hit a routine fly ball to center for the third out.

After cruising through his first two innings, Giolito allowed the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Then, Adam Frazier, whose trade attractiveness has been a major topic lately, had a terrific, 10-pitch at-bat that ended with a home run to right.

Will Frazier ever play in a White Sox uniform? Probably not. The White Sox are lacking valuable assets in the minors, so this would likely require 2021 MLB assets. But, Nomar Mazara really impressed the White Sox after hitting a long home run against them that one time, so who knows?

Pirates starter Tyler Anderson pitched three consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to keep the White Sox off the board. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the Pirates spotted him an insurance run. Pittsburgh’s rally started with a dreaded leadoff walk to Frazier that took seven pitches. After Frazier advanced to second on a ground out, Bryan Reynolds singled to center, and Frazier narrowly beat the throw home for Pittsburgh’s second run.

Yoán Moncada led off the top of the seventh with a ground out to become the 11th straight hitter to be retired by Anderson. After that, however, there was a massive turnaround for the White Sox.

José Abreu singled, and with two outs, Leury García singled to put runners on the corners. That brought up Yasmani Grandal, who came on as a pinch-hitter for Zack Collins. This was likely done to get a platoon advantage against Anderson, a lefthander. The move worked out perfectly.

That home run was Grandal’s 11th of the season, and it gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead.

The slim lead did not last long, though, as the Pirates rallied quickly in the bottom of the seventh. That was when Giolito was pulled from the game after 111 pitches in six innings, and Garrett Crochet came on in relief. Unfortunately, it was not Crochet’s night.

Gregory Polanco and Phillip Evans hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Then, Kevin Newman laid down a bunt that was placed very nicely down the third base line. Moncada’s throw to first was slightly off the mark, and Danny Mendick, who was covering first, could not handle it. Polanco scored, Evans advanced to third, and Newman advanced to second. Moncada was charged with a throwing error, though the error arguably should have been charged to Mendick.

Erik González followed with a two-run single, and just like that, the Pirates were back in front. Aaron Bummer replaced Crochet, who did not record any outs. With one out, Reynolds drove in his second run of the day with another single, and that made the score 6-3.

The White Sox could not put another rally together, so they took the loss by a score of 6-3. The South Siders fell to 43-30, while the Pirates improved to 26-45.

The good news is that there will be a chance for redemption very soon, as tomorrow’s game will start at 11:35 a.m. CST. Dylan Cease and Chase De Jong are the probable starting pitchers, and Bill Meincke is on game coverage, with Jeremy Karll taking the Six Pack of Stats here at South Side Sox. Hopefully, that game will go better than tonight’s did.