Guardians 3, White Sox 1: Put the brooms away

This just in: if you commit errors and fail to score with runners in scoring position, you are not likely to win a ball game. The White Sox learned this lesson the hard way this afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.

It all started in the second inning when the South Siders loaded the bases with nobody out. Someone on the internet told me the likelihood of scoring is 86% in situations such as these; the White Sox likelihood of scoring in this situation was 0%. A pop out and two strikeouts would end the inning. Some might say it was karma for having Hanser Alberto, Seby Zavala, and Jake Marisnick rounding out your lineup.

In the bottom of the third inning, Tim Anderson got caught stealing for the first time since July 7, 2021. Now, this wouldn’t be such a bummer if, I don’t know, a home run was hit after this, but instead Luis Robert Jr. laced a double into the left-field corner. My bets were on TA being able to score from first on the hit had he not just been thrown out one pitch prior.

Let’s do a math exercise for the bottom of the fourth inning. What do you get when you add a double, a bunt, and a single? The first White Sox run and lead of the game!

An error extended this inning, but Anderson grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat rather than taking advantage of the opportunity gifted to him.

Losing the lead is never fun, but losing it to a guy batting .167 stings. Cleveland tied it up in the top of the fifth on a Gabriel Arias home run.

Dylan Cease quietly made his way to the seventh inning this afternoon. He got into a little jam with runners on second and third with one out quickly, though. Pedro Grifol came out to chat, and after being pleased with what he heard, let him face the next batter. A fatal error by Anderson allowed the second run of the game to score, thus ending Cease’s day.

The right-handed pitcher had another solid outing this afternoon. He was tacked with the loss, but he does get credited with a quality start. He gave up just three earned runs, walked one, and struck out three. Given he usually is a high-strikeout guy, it is curious that he pitched to contact today, but hey, whatever works!

Gregory Santos came in to relieve Cease of his duties. While the starter was responsible for the third run, Santos is the one who gave up the hit that plated it. The only reason the hit he gave up was interesting is because it was the first hit for a Guardians catcher in the entire month of May (yes, you read that correctly). Sigh.

Have you been thinking to yourself these last two games, where is Garrett Crochet? He was there in the ninth inning of today’s ball game. In his first outing since October 2021, the lefty had a 1-2-3 inning. We thanked him for his ability to keep the game where it was at, and left it to the offense to mount a comeback.

Spoiler alert: That comeback did not happen. Yoán Moncada did get a two out pinch-hit to extend the inning, but Zavala ended the game on a three-pitch strike out.

In full transparency, I took my broom out last night because I need to clean my apartment, but I wanted a better excuse than that as to why I took it out. Maybe the White Sox will shock us and complete a sweep against Kansas City this weekend. I’m doubtful.

See you tomorrow.