2020 OOTP sim: Sox starters extend the winning streak to three
MINNEAPOLIS — Reynaldo López has been this year's 2019 Lucas Giolito after he had a 2018 Giolito season last year. Entering this afternoon's game and enduring a short bullpen stint, ReyLo held a 5-0 record and a 3.72 ERA. However, he had a challenging mound opponent in Jake Odorizzi (5-2, 3.07 ERA) to square off against for the third of this four-game set.
The White Sox have won four of the five games played against Minnesota this year, and they planned to keep the winning going against Minnesota, who thanks to the Sox had fallen to a first-place tie with Cleveland.
Odorizzi, starting in the second inning, struck out five straight batters until Tim Anderson hit a double to center field with two outs on the third inning. However, Tim did not find home plate.
Reynaldo was cruising along, as well. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Anderson's sixth error (in 39 games) put Miguel Sanó on base, but mirroring the stranded TA7 in the third, Sanó didn't score either.
The first run of the game did eventually come in the fifth inning. With one out for the Good Guys, Nomar Mazara walked and Anderson doubled him home. Unfortunately, Timmy tried to extend his double into a triple and was thrown out doing so.
The Sox proceeded to score in their second straight inning, in the sixth. Yoán Moncada led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Edwin Encarnación walked, and Zack Collins' sac fly scored YoYo and increased the Sox lead to 2-0. This has been a very strong series for the ol' (young) catcher.
The White Sox did have a chance to grab some insurance runs in the seventh. With one out in the inning, Mazara earned his second walk of the day. For his second time, Timmy doubled to put ducks on the pond, with still only one out. Unfortunately, Leury García struck out and Moncada grounded into the shift up the middle to end the top of the frame runless.
And the Sox scored one more run in the top of the eighth. Eloy Jiménez led the inning off with a 384-foot home run off of the foul pole in left field. All Eloy does is hit dingers and says "hi" to his Mom, and I am here for it!
With the White Sox up, 3-0, the Twins felt the pressure not to be shut out, so in the bottom of the eighth Luis Arráez hit a one-out, opposite-field home run to give the Twins their first run of the game.
Reynaldo, at the 110-pitch mark, was pulled afer a dazzling 7 ⅓ innings. He gave up one run on five hits and one walk, striking out six.
Pat Venditte, with a 0.87 ERA in 14 games this year, induced strikeouts from the heart of the Minny order (Nelson Cruz and Sanó) to secure the final two outs of the eighth.
Aaron Bummer was tasked for the save opportunity in the ninth after Venditte walked Mitch Garver with one out. Bummer proceeded to strike out Polanco and Cave to secure the save and win for the Sox!
The White Sox improved to 26-26, and they now sit 7 ½ games out of first place in the AL Central.
Reynaldo López was the game MVP, as the Sox extended their winning streak to three, each game featuring a gem from the starters.
And tomorrow, it's the ace, Lucas Giolito, on the mound as the Good Guys look to make in four games in a row and sweep the Twins.
