Rays 6, White Sox 3: South Siders continue bases-loaded struggles

Because the Chicago White Sox still struggle with the bases loaded, the Tampa Bay Rays took the opener of this weekend series, 6-3.

To continue Chicago’s unending offensive woes, Shane McClanahan struck out the side to open up the game, and the Rays’ offense scored four off of Davis Martin in the first inning.

Ji-Man Choi notched a sacrifice fly to drive home Yandy Díaz, who reached base on a double. Fortunately, the score held at 1-0 score with two outs, but young Sox starter Davis Martin allowed an RBI single — driving home Manuel Margot (walk) — to Harold Ramirez. Postseason phenom of 2020, Randy Arozarena, homered to make it a 4-0 game before Steve Stone could even start sending out scolding tweets.

Welcome to the Tropicana Dome, White Sox!

Luckily, Martin settled down, and the Sox offense did some work (as it were) in the third inning. Leury García, AJ Pollock, and Andrew Vaughn loaded the bases on three singles — and Yoán Moncada recorded an RBI ground out. Unfortunately but predictably, with the still bases loaded and one out in the inning, that was the only run that scored. It’s been a dismal year for driving in runs with runners on every base for the Good Guys.

On the bright side, José Abreu has finally heated up, and recorded his seventh homer of the year with a solo shot in the sixth. However, the Sox still trailed 4-2.

Overall, the pitching became the biggest story of the evening. Martin worked into the sixth, finishing his second start respectably: 5 ¹⁄₃ innings, four runs off of five hits and three walks, and a strikeout. To give up a goose egg in each inning of work after the first and be able to remain poised after that not-so-pleasant start speaks volumes for Martin.

Sharing the mound, McClanahan was wonderful. Through his six innings of work, he gave up two runs, six hits, and walked nobody, with eight strikeouts. This kid is going to be a star.

Sadly, sometimes with good pitching comes bad pitching. Matt Foster relieved Bennett Sousa, who came in after Martin. Foster inherited a baserunner, allowed a single to Manuel Margot, and Choi clubbed for a two-out, two-RBI double in the seventh inning to make it 6-2, Rays.

The Sox scraped up two baserunners with two outs in the eighth in response to the Rays knockdown punch in the seventh, but Jake Burger grounded out to conclude the inning.

The Good Guys found some life again in the ninth. With one out, Gavin Sheets singled. After Pollock struck out, Andrew Vaughn reached via a single. Moncada continued the single train, which also drove in Sheets to trim the deficit to 6-3. Pito, representing the tying run, found his way to the plate with two runners on base and two outs.

In an 0-2 count, Abreu was hit near his right wrist. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Luis Robert struck out.

The Good Guys lost to the Bad Guys by a score of 6-3, and the offense still is not clicking. It’s frustrating.

No victory sunglasses emoji this Friday evening, unfortunately. They’re collecting a lot of dust these days.

Tomorrow’s game starts at 3:10 p.m. CT as Dylan Cease (4-2, 3.69 ERA, 2.62 xERA) and Drew Rasmussen (5-2, 3.47 ERA, 3.76 xERA) share the mound against their respective offenses. NBC Sports Chicago has the game broadcast, and Di Billick and Chrystal O’Keefe have your South Side Sox coverage.