After losing their last two games each by one run, the White Sox came into Saturday’s game looking to tie the series against the Mariners up and provide a spark of momentum to this team in a game that went into extra innings.
After going down 2-0 in the first inning, Eloy Jimenez got the Sox on the board with a solo home run that was absolutely demolished. The game would remain 2-1 until the fifth inning, where Luis Robert Jr. would tie the game up, only for the Mariners to score again and retake the lead at the bottom of the inning.
Later in the game, it was an unlikely hero that would keep the White Sox alive, as Zach Remillard had a debut game he won’t soon forget. With the Sox down 3-2 in the ninth, Remillard drove in the game-tying run to force extra innings. He would then come back up to bat in the 11th inning with a runner in scoring position, and in the biggest moment of his professional career, he came up clutch to drive the runner home for the eventual game-winning run. He would end his day with three singles and memories that will last a lifetime.
Unfortunately, the win today did come at a cost, as Remillard’s reason for entering the game was due to an injury to shortstop Tim Anderson that would force him to be removed from the game in the bottom of the fourth. The White Sox announced that he was dealing with shoulder soreness and that he is currently day-to-day.
With the win in Saturday’s game, the White Sox now sit at 31-41, but remain 5.5 games back in the divisional race.
W: Aaron Bummer (2-1) | L: Taylor Saucedo (2-1) | SV: Jesse Schotens
Statcast Breakdown
Box Score
Offensive Recap:
Pitching Recap:
White Sox Scoring Recap:
- Top of the 2nd: Jimenez homered to center. 2-1 Mariners.
- Top of the 5th: Robert Jr. singled to right. Benintendi scored. 2-2 Tied.
- Top of the 9th: Remillard singled to left. Andrus scored. 3-3 Tied.
- Top of the 11th: Remillard singled to center. Andrus scored. 4-3 White Sox.
Notable Performances
Lucas Giolito: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
It wasn’t the cleanest outing for Giolito, although the defense didn’t exactly do him many favors. Still, he held the Mariners to three runs (two earned) and kept this game within reach for the lineup to take care of the rest.
Zach Remillard: 3-for-3, 2 RBI
What a debut game it was for Remillard. After unexpectedly coming into the game to replace an injured Tim Anderson, Remillard was the unlikely hero of the game, going 3-for-3 and driving in what would end up being the game-winning run in extra innings.
Gavin Sheets: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 K
Gavin Sheets has begun to heat up at the plate over the past few days, and his bat stayed hot today with two doubles. He has consistently been putting together quality at-bats and has seen 100+ mph exit velocities consistently over the past several games.
Eloy Jimenez: 1-for-5, HR, 2 K
Eloy Jmenez got the offense started today, as he hit his eighth home run of the season in the second inning to get the Sox on the board. His bat unfortunately went quiet afterward, as he did not record another hit and struck out twice.
Andrew Benitendi: 4-for-5, 2B, BB, SB
On the day Pedro Grifol decided to bump Tim Anderson down in the lineup, Benintendi took over as the leadoff man and made a case to stick at that spot. Benintendi ended the day with four total hits (one going for a double) and added a walk and a stolen base. After hitting his first home run of the season yesterday, he carried that momentum into today’s game with an extremely effective day at the plate.
Next Matchup
With the series tied 1-1, the White Sox will look to get a series win in tomorrow’s matchup with the Mariners. Lance Lynn is expected to get the start, as he will face off against RHP Bryce Miller.
The first pitch is scheduled to commence at 3:10 CST, and fans will be able to watch the game on NBC Sports Chicago.
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Featured Image: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
