From the Locker Room: Eloy comes through

After three strikeouts, the young slugger was going to drive in the go-ahead run by any means necessary

Eloy Jiménez wasn't having a good day on Thursday. But in the seventh inning, everything changed.

"After striking out three times, to get that double and bring in the man on second was a really special moment for me," he said after the game of his hit that gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead and eventual win.

Despite the accomplishment of being the first White Sox team in 12 years to make the playoffs, Jiménez isn't satisfied at just that.

"At the beginning of the year, I said I would be disappointed if we don’t make the playoffs," he said. "Now we have to continue to play hard and win the division."

The White Sox have a magic number of six for division win.

Still, how was the celebration, Eloy?

"It was a fun moment, but we just said we’d save it for when we win our division," he said. "Everybody’s happy, to be honest, we just have 10 more games left and need to keep playing hard."

Just get a good pitch to hit, drive the man in nom atter how, no matter what.

Jiménez saved some of his best postgame clinch comments for José Abreu, his friend and mentor.

"He’s really happy, Eloy said. "He said, 'I finally made it!' He’s really happy, I’m really happy. He worked hard every single day to make his first appearance in the playoffs."

And it wouldn't be an Eloy media session without some fun. When I asked the left fielder what he thought of José's hustle to beat out an infield hit before his decisive at-bat, we got some visuals.

"When I saw that ground ball, I was watching the ball and never saw José," he said. "And when I looked back, I saw him at first base, and I did this ... 

Look at the lead image above. That was Eloy's shocked expression over Pito's speed.

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Eloy Jiménez video courtesy of the Chicago White Sox.