2020 OOTP sim: Rays top White Sox despite Eloy's big game
CHICAGO — The Rays (15-23) got on the board a few times early on against White Sox (18-18) starter Dallas Keuchel, and they just managed to hold on, winning 3-2.
On a cool night on the South Side, the Rays scored the first run of the game on a two-out double by Hunter Renfroe. Things got worse for Keuchel in the top of the fourth, when the Rays added a cushion to their lead. Old friend Kevan Smith drove in a run with a single to extend the Rays' lead to two. It is still mighty early, but given Smith's .093 batting average, that was an out Keuchel would have liked to have gotten. Later in the fourth, Austin Meadows drove in another run with a single to make the score 3-0.
Fortunately, that was the last damage the Rays managed to pull off against Keuchel. Kid Keuchy finished with the minimum requirements for a quality start, as he went six innings, allowing three runs (all earned). Keuchel struck out four, walked two, and he allowed eight hits. This outing lowered Keuchel's ERA to 4.89.
In addition to Keuchel's quality start, the bullpen did an excellent job, as Tony Watson and Pat Venditte combined to throw three scoreless innings. Thanks to them, this game remained within reach. All it took was one big inning, which this offense has shown that it is capable of pulling off.
Unfortunately, this was not the evening for White Sox hitters. Well, for most of the hitters, in any case. Eloy Jiménez was an exception, as he reached base safely all four of his plate appearances. Besides Jiménez, however, it was a poor evening for the offense, especially in the early innings.
Rays starter Blake Snell delivered a masterpiece, throwing six and two-thirds scoreless innings. The White Sox could not get revenge on him for the Players League Championship in MLB The Show, as they still trailed 3-0 when Snell left the game.
Heading into the bottom of the ninth, Jiménez was 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, and a walk. Jiménez added the cherry on top with a home run, as he finished just a single shy of the cycle, and he raised his batting average to .313. The home run was also his fourth of the season, moving him into a tie with Nick Madrigal (lol). Yasiel Puig also hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late. The Rays held on to win by a score of 3-2, as the White Sox fell to .500.
Tomorrow will be the rubber match of this three-game series against the Rays. That game is set to begin at 1:10 CST, and after that game, the White Sox will head to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants.