With the start of the White Sox regular season postponed due to coronavirus concerns, NBC Sports Chicago has decided to re-air 70 victories from the 2005 season from now until June. Here at Sox On 35th, we will also be following along and recapping those games for you in our Tale of the Tape series.
Date of Game: April 11, 2005
Once again, the White Sox captured a win in the first game of the series, as Freddy Garcia earned his first victory of the year. The right hander threw eight consistent innings, while only allowing one run on four hits. With the 2-1 win, the South Siders improved to 5-2 on the season.
W: Freddy Garcia (1-0) | L: Kevin Milwood (0-1) | S: Shingo Takatsu (3)
The Good
- Scott Podsednik (LF): 2-for-4, RBI, run
- Joe Crede (3B): 2-for-3
- Freddy Garcia: 8.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
- 109 Pitches: 63 Strikes, 46 Balls
- Shingo Takatsu (RP): Recorded three saves in the team’s first seven games
The Bad
- White Sox power hitting: Paul Konerko (1B), Jermaine Dye (RF) both had tough days at the plate. Both combined 0-for-8 with three strikeouts.
Moment of the Game
This one came at the bitter end. After a less than ideal start to the bottom of the ninth for Damaso Marte (there’s a blast from the past), Shingo Takatsu entered the ball game to seal the deal, striking out Aaron Boone, who represented the winning run. The Indians stranded Travis Hafner on base, after he drew a walk earlier in the inning.
Stats On 35th – Let’s Break This One Down by the Numbers
Today’s Numbers:
45.2, 3, 4, 52
45.2
This game’s MVP in terms of Win Probability Added (WPA) was Freddy Garcia with 45.2 percentage points. Behind him was Scott Podsednik and his two-hit performance that garnered 23.6 points.
3
For the third time this season, the White Sox would win a game by two runs or less. As we now know, a major theme throughout the 2005 run was the team’s ability to win close games, and it was being reflected early on.
4
Freddie Garcia pitched a gem of a game, but did it with only four strikeouts. One man who struggled at the plate was Aaron Boone, who struck out three times, twice by Freddy Garcia.
52
The Indians had a slight edge in WPA at 52 percent, home field advantage possibly giving them the edge. However, the White Sox were able to prove the stats wrong, winning 2-1.
Looking Ahead:
- The next game being covered will be game three of a four-game set with Cleveland, taking place back on April 13th, 2005. NBC Sports Chicago has the re-airing of the game tomorrow at 4:00 pm. As always, check Sox On 35th for the recap!
Player of the Game
Freddy Garcia’s masterful eight innings of work makes him the second starting pitcher to land on the leaderboard through three games.
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