No ReyLo No-No, but Sox win, 2-0
Before the storm: Reynaldo López had a no-hitter for five innings before being removed with flu-like symptoms. (Clinton Cole/South Side Hit Pen)
Reynaldo López fired five innings of no-hit ball before leaving today's 2-0 win over Texas with flu-like symptoms, but he and four relievers combined on a one-hitter — no little thanks going to an injury-depleted Rangers lineup happy to swing at any pitch in the zip code. Or any 606-- zip code.
Lopez didn't seem to have his best stuff, but the Rangers, who lead the majors in strikeouts, are so swing-happy he didn't need it. The only time López was in the slightest trouble was in the third. After two fly outs to right, the first a nice catch by Jon Jay, Jose Trevino got aboard on the first of Tim Anderson's two errors of the day and Shin-Soo Choo walked. A Danny Santana K took care of the problem.
The sole hit surrendered in the 2-0 Sox victory was a single by Choo leading off the sixth against Aaron Bummer. That was followed by Anderson's second boot of a routine grounder, extending his commanding lead for most errors in MLB, but Bummer recovered to get two ground outs and strikeout, sandwiched around an intentional walk that loaded the bases.
Otherwise, Bummer, Evan Marshall, Jace Fry and Alex Colomé cruised to a Players' Weekend celebration. Texas has been a horrible team of late, but it was a fine pitching performance, regardless of opponent.
Meanwhile, the offense looked like it would sting rookie lefty Brock Burke right off the bat. Burke, pitching only his second game in the bigs, gave up a leadoff single to Leury García, hit José Abreu, walked Yoán Moncada, and faced Eloy Jiménez with the bases loaded and one out. Eloy smashed by far the hardest-hit ball of the game, a 109 mph screamer, but it was right at Elvis Andrus at short, and José was doubled off of second.
In the third, Yolmer Sánchez walked, Leury sacrificed him to second, Anderson got on on an Andrus error, and José singled Yolmer home with a shot through the left side.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1165703516498911233
That was Jose's RBI No. 99 for 2019. It was called an earned run, the only one Burke has now given up in 12 innings with the Rangers.
An insurance run came in the seventh, when reliever Emmanuel Clase gave up a single to Adam Engel, Yolmer drew a fortunate walk after he should have been called out on strikes, García took a fastball to his ankle on a bunt attempt (X-rays are negative, he's day-to-day), and José's 100th RBI on a, well, not-blast:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1165725943496871936
Abreu's fielder's choice roller was so slow Statcast didn't even measure it, but it did the job.
The Sox only managed five hits, two of those by Engel and none by Anderson or Sánchez, so both of their hitting streaks are de-streakified.
That's four wins in their last five for the Sox, all five featuring excellent starting pitching. They get a day off tomorrow before the Minnesota Twins come to town for a three-game series starting Tuesday night.