All the talk about last night’s game, for better or worse, was Bill Walton’s broadcast. The game on the field, however, featured a James McCann grand slam, another excellent start by Lucas Giolito, and a 7-2 victory for the South Siders.
W: Lucas Giolito (13-6) | L: Patrick Sandoval (0-1)
The Good
- Lucas Giolito: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, 23 Swinging Strikes
- James McCann: 3-for-4, 2B, GS, 4 RBI
- Tim Anderson: 2-for-4, RBI
The Bad
- Ryan Goins: 0-for-4
- Eloy Jimenez: 0-for-4
Moment of the Game
Lucas Giolito had one of my favorite performances of the year last night. It wasn’t his best, but when he got into jams, he got himself out of them without blowing up. That just speaks to the growth we’ve seen in Giolito from 2018. Here’s the moment of the game: him getting that final K in the 6th to keep the Sox in the lead.
In reality though, this was the Bill Walton Game. Make sure to check out an extensive list of some of Walton’s best moments HERE, thanks to Joe Binder’s efforts and, more importantly, Jason Benetti’s willingness to just let Walton keep talking.
Stats On 35th: Let’s Break this One Down by the Numbers
Last Night’s Numbers:
25.3/-15.4; 12; 0.174; 24; 1,000,000
25.3/-15.4
Today’s MVP and LVP, in terms of Win Probability Added (WPA) are Tim Anderson (25.3%) and Eloy Jimenez (-15.4%). Tim Anderson seemed to be in the right place at the right time all night, getting two timely hits to help keep the White Sox’ rally moving, while also scoring an important run on a passed ball. Eloy, however, was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and really didn’t factor into the game today.
12
Before last night, it had been 12 years since the last White Sox RHP threw consecutive starts with 11+ K. Javier Vazquez was the last man to do it in 2007. Lucas Giolito will have a chance to beat his mark next time out.
0.174
In his career, James McCann is batting just 0.174 (8-for-46) with the bases loaded. However, in his last two at-bats with the bases loaded, he has hit two grand slams. Of the eight hits McCann has with the bases loaded, five of them have now left the ballpark.
24
Lucas Giolito has struck out 24 batters in his last 12 IP (last two starts). These lofty numbers have come against the A’s and Angels, the teams who strike out the fourth and second fewest times, respectively, in the league. That’s quite the accomplishment for Lucas Giolito.
1,000,000
This represents the number of times Bill Walton either asked “Who’s this pitching?” or “Who’s this hitting?” last night. You shouldn’t fact check this number. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to anyway.
Tonight’s Game: Santiago take the bump
Hector Santiago (1-1, 7.11 ERA) vs. Jose Suarez (2-4, 6.57 ERA), 8:07 PM CT
Player of the Game
You know what to do! This one might be one of the toughest POTG votes yet!
