2020 OOTP sim: Kluber stifles punchless Sox, 4-1
CHICAGO — The Rangers, riding a seven-game winning streak into Saturday's game, could not be cooled off. Not by streaking Chisox pitcher Dallas Keuchel — and not even by a brisk, 49-degree first pitch in early afternoon.
Texas took a grand slam in the first inning from ex-White Sox Todd Frazier and made sure it held up all game, and then some.
Frazier slammed a two-out, 2-2 pitch from Keuchel deep into the left-field stands. The Chicago lefthander couldn't lament his luck too much, as he'd put two of the runners on with walks.
While the White Sox are facing a very hittable Texas staff, at home, riding a strong start to the season, their bats have gone into deep freeze. The only Chicago tally was a 435-foot solo shot to right-center from Yoán Moncada.
Kluber, who came into the game with a 5.21 ERA, chiseled it down to 4.00 with a masterful eight innings, yielding just five hits and a walk, with five Ks and a 73 game score.
Keuchel, for his part, was terrific outside of that one pitch to Frazier, giving up four runs over seven innings, with five hits and two walks against nine strikeouts, for a 58 game score. Even with those four earned runs, Keuchel's ERA still stands at a scintillating 2.97.
The last threat from the White Sox came in the seventh, with runners on first and second with one out, and Kluber tiring. Nomar Mazara, in just the situation he was brought to Chicago for, popped out. Yasmani Grandal, failing so far to provide any pop for the Sox, tapped a weak ground out, and just like that, rally doused.
The White Sox will try to salvage one game of the series, when on Sunday mercurial starter Reynaldo López faces Lance Lynn.
NOTES: After the game, the White Sox sent outfielder Jaycob Brugman back to Charlotte and called up corner infielder Cheslor Cuthbert ... Brugman was 0-for-4 with two Ks in his one start with Chicago ... Cuthbert's nine games with the Knights led to a .400/.415/.625 slash ... recently-claimed lefthander Fernando Abad, designated for assignment off of the major-league roster earlier in the week, cleared waivers and reports to Charlotte.
AROUND THE MAJORS
First Star for Saturday was Jon Berti, who went 2-for-3 with two homers, four RBIs, two runs and a walk in Miami's 5-3 win over Philadelphia.
Brad Keller won the Second Star with a complete-game, 9-1 Kansas City win over Baltimore. Keller had six Ks and no walks, but guess what? He's still a jagbag.
Josh Donaldson of the Twins took the Third Star with a 3-for-3 night, including a homer, three ribs, a run and a walk in Minnesota's 4-2 toppling of Detroit.
Cincinnati crushed Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery for five runs in the first inning, keying a 9-5 win in the Bronx.
Mike Clevinger made his 2020 debut for Cleveland and threw 5 ⅓ scoreless innings in Cleveland's 5-3 win at Boston.
With a full count and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Kole Calhoun singled in Starling Marte to lead the surging Arizona Diamondbacks to a win over San Diego. The Padres fall to 15-5.
Josh Hader has now saved six of the eight Brewers wins, after getting the final two outs of Milwaukee's 3-2 win over the Mets.
A wild pitch to Kevan Smith brought home Brandon Lowe with the winning run for the Rays in a 4-3, 11-inning thriller over the Blue Jays.
Trailing by one and facing Angels reliever Ty Buttrey, Astros catcher Garrett Stubbs singled and right fielder Kyle Tucker homered on consecutive pitches, sending Houston home with the 9-8 win.