Six Pack of Stats: White Sox 4, Royals 2

FanGraphs

The White Sox have split the series, as we’re halfway through this four-game run against the Royals. Despite a lukewarm start, defense and excellent pitching carried the game. Let’s break down this exceptional contest.

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The Starters

Lucas Giolito dominated tonight, going six innings and getting a well-deserved win. He might have allowed a run in the first, but that didn’t seem to bother Giolito at all. With 93 pitches, he was able to get the Royals to swing and miss all night, with nine strikeouts. There were two earned runs on just five hits and two walks for the night. I’ll certainly give the bullpen credit in a bit, but Giolito absolutely shined on the mound, and that is a welcome feeling for frustrated Sox fans.

Giolito’s 93-pitch outing looked like this:

Baseball Savant

Jordan Lyles threw a complete game in 112 pitches and actually looked really good despite coming into the game with a 6.00 ERA. Lyles only allowed six hits and was charged with four earned runs. He struck out six and didn’t allow a single walk all game. Lyles threw a little bit of everything, but his curveball looked the best.

Lyles’ 112-pitch outing looked like this:

Baseball Savant

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Pressure Play

Giolito worked his way into a jam in the sixth when Freddy Fermin reached on fielder’s choice to shortstop. Thankfully, Elvis Andrus was there to get the 5.03 LI out on MJ Melendez at second, ending the inning with bases loaded. The Royals only got one run despite a lot of traffic on the bases that inning.

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Pressure Cooker

Hunter Dozier always seemed to be at the plate during big moments for the Royals (2.24 pLI), but could never capitalize in a meaningful way.

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Top Play

Andrew Vaughn’s two-run, .187 WPA bomb put the White Sox in the lead, and the Royals could never make up the deficit.

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Top Performer

Andrew Vaughn takes home top honors tonight , with .141 WPA.

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Smackdown

Hardest hit: The Andrew Vaughn home run was obliterated into the night sky at 109.7 mph.

Weakest contact: Hunter Dozier’s sixth-inning single off Giolito was hit at just 61.8 mph.

Luckiest hit: The pest that is Vinnie Pasquantino hit a .100 xBA single in the sixth.

Toughest out: Salvador Pérez hit the ball at 104.1 mph in the fourth, but it was quickly caught despite an .890 xBA.

Longest hit: Luis Robert Jr.’s moon shot traveled 430 feet.

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Magic Number: 8

Andrew Vaughn might’ve taken home all of the accolades for his home run, but Luis Robert Jr. needs to be recognized too. Robert hit his eighth home run of the season with a hard-hit ball that beautifully faded off into the night sky.

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Glossary

CSW called strikes plus whiffs
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

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