MLB: The Show Players League Semifinals — Giolito brings the Crosstown Cup home!
Coming off of an upset performance in the quarterfinals, Lucas Giolito was set to face Ian Happ, who toppled second-seed Joey Gallo in the quarterfinals. Sixth-seeded Giolito got to host the series against No. 7 seed Happ — and home-field advantage helped.
In the regular season of the MLB: The Show Players League, Happ handed Lucas a loss on the South Side. In hosting the semifinals, Lucas would have to win at home (8-7 during the regular season), and he would have to do it in the Crosstown Classic style in these virtual playoffs.
Game 1: Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox
The perfect time to get revenge was now. Hosting Game 1, Lucas went with the black-top jerseys and Dallas Keuchel.
To begin the game, virtual Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo went deep to the warning track, but those baseballs simply became two long outs, and DK pitched a scoreless top half of the first.
In the bottom of the inning, Tim Anderson hit a leadoff single to right field. Four games into the playoffs, Anderson is 4-for-4 in his first plate appearances. Following up with TA7's single, Yoán Moncada dropped a single to left-center, putting runners on first and second. José Abreu doubled to right-center, so Giolito and the virtual Sox took an early 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, Pito was thrown out at third, as he tried to stretch his double into a triple.
Nevertheless, the runs kept coming. Yasmani Grandal turned a triple into a double with his 6 speed, and he scored on an Eloy Jiménez RBI double. Nomar Mazara put runners on the corners, so Leury García singled up the middle to increase the lead to 4-0.
Keuchel lined out to third to end the inning. For the second time in this whole tournament, all nine White Sox batters came to the plate in an inning. Lucas set the tone with a 4-0 lead, but it could have been 5-0, so the hope was that the lost run would not come back to haunt him.
In the top of the second inning, a double-play ball that should have been turned saw all runners safe. Taking advantage of Giolito's error, Happ capitalized with a three-run homer. Holding onto a 4-3 lead, Giolito put Steve Cishek into the game after two outs. He grabbed the final out of the inning, so Lucas was looking for an insurance run in the bottom of the second.
After a commercial break, the video game skipped ahead in the second inning to see Giolito and virtual Anderson rock a two-run home run! Of course, Moncada had to get in on the action, so he went back-to-back with TA with a solo shot of his own. With a 6-3 lead, the virtual Sox were not done. Grandal's long fly ball just cleared the right-field fence for a two-run shot of his own.
Home runs galore! Content with an 8-3 lead, the virtual Sox gave Happ his outs, and they went into the third inning looking for the win.
Cishek stayed in the game. However, after one out, Aaron Bummer was called in. The lefty allowed a run to bring the score to 8-4, but locked down the final two outs.
So, leading the best-of-three series 1-0, Giolito needed one more win to lock up a championship berth.
Game 2: Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs
Up 1-0, Lucas and the virtual White Sox went to the North Side of town for game two. The broadcast skipped all the way to the second inning.
Tied 0-0, Lucas pitched a clean bottom of the second with Jimmy Cordero. On his way to the third inning, he and the virtual Good Guys were looking for some runs.
Edwin Encarnación came into the game as a pinch-hitter with one out. He worked a full count and was rewarded with a double with his efforts. Adam Engel came into the game to pinch run for EE. On a TA7 fly ball to right field, a baserunning mistake turned the fly out into a double play. Oof.
Entering the bottom of the third, a fly ball to left field went over Eloy's head, and it started a rally for Happ, who ended up walking it off and tying the series at one. He forced a game three, back on the South Side.
Game 3: Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox
In his second elimination game of the playoffs, Lucas was looking to bristle up once again and advance. For the sixth time this postseason, Lucas went with the black-top jerseys, using Carlos Rodón for the starting pitcher.
The broadcast skipped to the bottom of the first, where the Sox were trailing 1-0. Robert Flores announced that Los gave up a leadoff home run to Happ to start the game. Down early, Lucas kept a clear mind and was ready to get to work.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Pito singled to right field. Yasmani Grandal, on a perfect-perfect swing, drove a ball to the right field stands! Lucas left the first inning with a 2-1 lead.
For the top of the second inning, Carlos pitched around an E-7, and Luis Robert nailed a runner out at the plate. Steve Cishek came into the second to record the last out.
Looking for some insurance runs in his half of the second, Lucas started the inning with a fly out to right off of Nomar Mazara's bat. Robert followed the out with his first home run of the competition. With a 3-1 lead, EE came on to pinch hit, but he flew out to right-center.
The White Sox had a chance to clinch virtual pennant with a clean third inning, and Lucas brought in Jimmy Biceps for the save opportunity. After only one out and the bases loaded, Aaron Bummer came into the game. I was having severe déjà vu from quarterfinals Game 3 ...
As I was watching, all sweaty and nervous, Bummer recorded a strikeout and ground out to send Giolito and the virtual White Sox to the championship round of the MLB: The Show Players League!
Afterthoughts
*BREATHE*
Giolito beat Happ in three games to advance to the championship round of the playoffs. Way to go, Lucas!
To Happ, thank you for being an incredible opponent. I wish you the best of luck when real baseball returns, but only you, not your team. Thank you for keeping the Sox-Cubs rivalry alive, and adding to its intensity during the layoff.
As for Lucas Giolito, he will play against Blake Snell in the championship series. Lucas played Snell in his very first TV game, won 9-2 by Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays. Baserunning aside, Giolito has improved since then. It's a whole new series, with whole new games.
This final series will be a best-of-five. ESPN will broadcast the championship tomorrow, May 3, at 1:30 p.m. CT.
On Robert Flores' mention of a MLB: The Show Players League trophy, Lucas gave his quote of the night: "I've got a lot of space in this room!"
Lucas, you have come so far. I can't even articulate how proud and excited I am. This isn't what I expected when I was dreaming about the successes of the 2020 White Sox, but this has been thrilling and fun. I don't bet, but my money would always be on Lucas.
One last time in this competition, look for my discussion question at South Side Hit Pen on Sports Illustrated tomorrow afternoon; win or lose, I will have the championship recap posted following the finale to a very fun competition.
I wish you the best of luck, GeneralGio! As always, good vibes, patient at-bats, and have all the fun you want. We believe in you!