2020 OOTP sim: Matt Tomshaw earns first win
CHICAGO — Matt Tomshaw had pitched well enough in three previous outings to earn a victory, but circumstances conspired to keep the rookie southpaw winless.
In today's homestand finale, Tomshaw finally earned his beer shower, with six innings of one-run, six-hit, six-K ball. Three of Tomshaw's first four MLB starts have clocked in with a game score of 61 or better, making his insertion into the rotation for injured ace Lucas Giolito almost seamless.
"I'm just so happy for the kid," pitching coach Don Cooper said postgame. "A lot of guys struggle even to get here, and some get really down when things don't break their way. But Matty has been a real trooper. He deserved a win before this. I'm glad he finally got one."
The strapped K.C. rotation ran out a bullpen day in the rubber game of the series, and that forced hand played well for the first half of the game. Twice the White Sox had to rally to tie, and just when it seemed Tomshaw would fall short of a win once again and fall to 0-3, his offense rallied.
Down 2-1 and with Tomshaw gassed, Chicago made its move in the bottom of the sixth with a back-to-back RBI double (Yoán Moncada) and triple (Eloy Jiménez). Both clouts eluded the grasp of Gold Glove outfielder Alex Gordon and clanged off the left-field wall.
The solid Chisox bullpen preserved Tomshaw's lead, as Carson Fulmer, Jace Fry and Alex Colomé all took an inning and combined for two hits, a walk and five Ks.
The White Sox head to Anaheim to begin a West Coast trip on Thursday. Dallas Keuchel faces Dylan Bundy and the 10-14 Angels.
NOTES: Yoán Moncada has now filed back-to-back 3-for-5 games, raising his average to .317 ... After the game, Tim Anderson was activated from the IL ... Yermín Mercedes (.208/.240/.250 with an RBI in eight games) was demoted to Charlotte ... Michael Kopech is also eligible to come off of the IL and is expected to join the team in Anaheim.
Actor (final credit: murdered by Albert Einstein in "Carnage Hall"), musician (Ethnocentric Republicans), and Nerf hoops champion, Wiffleball aficionado and onetime bilingual kindergarten teacher, Brett Ballantini also writes about baseball, basketball and sometimes hockey, for the NBA, MLB, NHL, and Slam, Hoop, Sporting News, the Athletic, SB Nation and others. He was CSN Chicago’s Blackhawks beat writer when their 49-year Stanley Cup drought ended in 2009-10, and took over the White Sox beat after that. He currently is the editor-in-chief of South Side Hit Pen and beat writer for Inside the Rays. He also wrote a book about Ozzie Guillén but is running out of space, so follow him on Twitter @BrettBallantini and he'll probably tell you even more about himself than you ever wanted to know.
Follow BrettBallantini