While you’re waiting in that queue for your playoff ticket ….
Say it loud and say it proud, the Chicago White Sox are a 90-win team! Last night’s win against the Cincinnati Reds put the White Sox at a 90-68 record with four games left in the season. This is their first time reaching the 90-win mark since 2006 — a solid Sox team outplayed by Cleveland and Detroit that year.
Reynaldo López pitched a smooth six innings last night at Guaranteed Rate Field. He gave up two hits, one earned run, and struck out four to earn the win, and lowered his ERA to 2.98. His only flaw was giving up a home run to Cincinnati’s third baseman, Eugenio Suarez. Relief pitchers José Ruiz, Aaron Bummer, and Matt Foster held the Reds to their one run for the rest of the night.
Luis Robert continued to make magic with his bat, hitting two dingers, one flying 445 feet into the left-field seats. Yoán Moncada and Gavin Sheets also used their smooth swings to swat the ball into the right-field stands. The offense was poppin’, and it’s nice to see the team get hot right before the playoffs. Momentum is key, and anything goes in playoff ball.
But first, the Sox take on the Reds tonight in their final match of the season.
Carlos Rodón will take the mound for Chicago. It’s an important start for Rodón, having experienced arm fatigue throughout the latter half of the season.
“It’s going to be an interesting night,” Tony La Russa said to the press on Monday. “Important and interesting night.”
No matter how tonight goes, Rodón has had an amazing comeback year, posting a 12-5 record with a 2.47 ERA and 181 strikeouts, so far. Hopefully, the lefty hits lucky number 13 tonight. Most importantly, tonight’s performance will help determine his role in the playoffs.
Chicago’s lineup has a lot of muscle, and I’m including right fielder Adam Engel in that, with a career-high seven home runs. He is batting ninth. Luis Robert bats in the 2-hole, followed by José Abreu. Yasmani Grandal will bat cleanup. Sweet-swinging Gavin Sheets will be the designated hitter at No. 8. Tim Anderson bats leadoff — we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Here’s the lineup:
The #WhiteSox are 50-27 (.649) at home this season, the best winning percentage in the American League and third-best in MLB behind the Dodgers (.697) and San Francisco (.658).
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 29, 2021
⏰: 7:10 p.m. CT
: @NBCSChicago
: @ESPN1000 pic.twitter.com/GmBtsMeegG
Sonny Gray starts for the Reds. He’s had a bumpy season but has tightened it up as of late. He has a 7-8 record, 3.99 ERA, and 149 strikeouts. In his last seven games, he is 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 36 strikeouts. It will be interesting to see the attitude of the Reds in tonight’s game. They were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention after last night’s loss.
Here’s the Reds’ rundown:
Here is how the Reds will line up tonight on the South Side.@PNCBank pic.twitter.com/994XInoqHw
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 29, 2021
The game starts at 7:10 p.m. CT. Jason Benetti and Steve Stone call the game for NBCS Chicago. ESPN 1000 will also have coverage. Sit back, relax, and keep one eye on your ticket queue and the other on the game!