The White Sox could not finish off the sweep today, falling to the Rays 9-3 in a game that never felt particularly close. However, the Sox have won three straight series to start off the season!
Vince Velasquez started for the White Sox, and while his overall outing ended up being solid, he had a rough 1st inning. Velasquez walked 3 batters, leading to 4 runs in the first. His final line saw him throw 4.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, 4 runs (3ER), 3 walks, and 5 K’s. Tanner Banks came out the pen to follow Velasquez, throwing 1.1 innings and allowing 1 hit and 2 K’s. Matt Foster also went 1.1 innings, giving up 1 run (1ER) and 2 walks. The game got away from the White Sox as Anderson Severino threw 0.2 innings, giving up 3 hits on 3 runs (3ER), with 1 strikeout. He didn’t have the best command of his stuff today. Kyle Crick came on in a mop up role, giving up 1 run (1 ER) on 3 hits.
The offense today for the Sox was dormant. Sox had multiple opportunities to tie the game, or even take the lead at times, but they just could not find that one big hit. Multiple times the Sox left the bases loaded, and Gavin Sheets had the only RBIs for the Sox. Sheets got hit by a pitch that brought home a run, then in the 9th, he hit a solo home run. Adam Engel scored the other run on a wild pitch that got by Rays catcher Francisco Mejia.
The Sox overall played a good series. The pitching has been solid, despite not having Lynn or Giolito. Cease was stellar on Friday night, and Kopech gave the Sox solid innings yesterday in his second start. Sox have won their third straight series to start the season, moving them to 6-3 with the best record in the AL – they are the only .500+ team in the AL Central.
W: Chris Mazza (1-0) | L: Vince Velasquez (0-1)
StatCast Breakdown
Box Score
Offensive Recap:
Pitching Recap:
White Sox Scoring Recap:
Bottom 4th: Gavin Sheets hit by a pitch. Jose Abreu scores. 4-1 Tampa Bay
Bottom 5th: Adam Engel scores on a passed ball. 4-2 Tampa Bay.
Bottom 9th: Gavin Sheets homers to RF. 9-3 Tampa Bay.
Notable Performances
Vince Velasquez: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
This wasn’t Velasquez’s best performance by any means; however, he was one good throw away from a much better-looking outing. Velasquez struggled with strikes in the first inning, but looked to get a ground ball he needed on a bases-loaded comebacker in the first. However, he bobbled the ball, and the inning continued. Had he gotten out of the inning there, he would’ve completed nearly five innings of one run ball, which is all you can ask for out of a guy who is supposed to be a swing man.
Velasquez will continue on in this rotation for now, and hopefully he can get his command under control earlier in starts to prevent him from falling behind early in games.
Gavin Sheets: 3 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 2 RBI
Gavin Sheets tallying the only RBIs for the club today. He has struggled in a small sample size to start the season, but hopefully this afternoon’s homer can start to get Sheets and the rest of the offense going a little bit.
Next Matchup
The Sox will head to Cleveland and start a 7 game road trip. 4 against the Guardians, then 3 against the Twins. Sox will take on Cleveland tomorrow at 5:10, on NBC Sports Chicago.
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