Eight-run inning propels White Sox to wild win
Magic Man: Nick Madrigal tied the game with an RBI single during the White Sox's eight-run inning. (Sean Williams/South Side Hit Pen)
It was a disastrous start, but the White Sox redeemed themselves in a wild victory over the Angels.
Ross "Big Boss" Detwiler got the start for the South Siders, and to say the least, he had a rough afternoon. Brian Goodwin and some guy named Mike Trout got back-to-back hits to open in the bottom of the first. Then, the Angels' newest prized possession, Anthony Rendon, opened the scoring by launching a three-run homer.
In the second, Goodwin extended the Angels lead to four with an RBI single to drive in Andrelton Simmons. The following inning, Simmons drove in a run with a single of his own, and Luis Rengifo made it 6-0 with a sacrifice fly. All six runs were charged to Detwiler, who lasted 2 ⅓ innings, allowed those six runs (all earned), seven hits, issued no walks, and struck out three.
The White Sox appeared to be dead in the water, as they entered the fourth inning with a six-run deficit. However, they put up a rally that will likely turn out to be the biggest inning they have this spring. Yermín Mercedes, who we have heard a lot from this spring, put the White Sox on the board with an RBI double. The next batter, Nicky Delmonico, followed with an RBI double, and oddly enough, Cheslor Cuthbert followed the White Sox's third consecutive RBI double.
After the three straight doubles, Luis González and Austin Romine drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Adam Engel took advantage of this scoring opportunity by driving a two-run single to left to pull the White Sox within one. Nick Madrigal tied it with an RBI single, as he became the eighth consecutive player to reach base safely (mercy). That streak ended when Andrew Vaughn grounded out, but Engel came around to score on said ground out, putting the White Sox ahead, 7-6. The final run of this wild inning scored on a two-out base hit by Nomar Mazara, making the score 8-6.
The score remained 8-6 until the bottom of the fifth, which was a rough time behind the plate for Mercedes. Mercedes failed to catch a pop fly by Albert Pujols, which put Pujols on first with one out, when there should have been two outs with nobody on. Pujols was given credit for a single, but that was a questionable scoring decision. After a wild pitch, a ground out that advanced pinch-runner Joey Curletta to third, and another wild pitch, the Angels trimmed the deficit to 8-7.
Fortunately, the White Sox's crazy eight-run fourth inning brought enough offense for them to hold on. The wild pitch that brought Curletta home was the final run scored by either team. The relievers did a great job with damage control after Detwiler's awful start. Will Kincanon, Tayron Guerrero, Ian Hamilton, Codi Heuer, Bernardo Flores Jr., and Vince Arobio combined for 6 ⅔ innings, only allowing one run, which likely should have been unearned. Flores Jr., who covered the seventh and eighth innings, and Arobio, who closed it out, were especially dominant. They combined for seven strikeouts, and neither of them allowed a hit.
The White Sox are 5-3 this spring, and their next game will be tomorrow at 2:05 CST against the Padres. Dallas Keuchel is set to take the mound against Chris Paddack, who had a 3.33 ERA in 26 starts as a rookie last year. That one will be played at Camelback Ranch, where Janice Scurio will be on the scene for our recap.