Potentially the biggest story of the second half is the resurgence of Eloy Jimenez, and it was no different tonight. The 25-year-old slugger now sports a ridiculous 198 wRC+ in the second half of 2022, and his three-run bomb did just enough for Chicago tonight on their way to a 4-2 victory. The White Sox offense then went dormant until the eighth inning, when Jose Abreu mashed an insurance homer to extend the lead to two runs.
Unlike the offense, Chicago’s pitching staff delivered a complete performance, blanking the Rockies in eight of the nine innings. Michael Kopech surrendered a two-run homer to Alan Trejo in the third inning, but kept the Rockies in check in his other four frames of work. Jimmy Lambert, Reynaldo Lopez, Kendall Graveman, and Liam Hendriks shut things down behind their starter with four smooth innings of work, with only three Colorado batters reaching base in that span.
Unfortunately, the Cleveland Guardians won their fifth straight contest tonight, meaning the Sox are still three games back in the standings with just three-and-a-half weeks left in the season.
W: Michael Kopech (5-9) | L: Chad Kuhl (6-9) | S: Liam Hendriks (33)
StatCast Breakdown
Box Score
Offensive Recap:
Pitching Recap:
White Sox Scoring Recap:
Bottom 1st: Eloy Jimenez homers to left-center field. 3-0 White Sox
Bottom 8th: Jose Abreu homers to left-center field. 4-2 White Sox
Notable Performances
Michael Kopech: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 HR, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
While Kopech hasn’t been overpowering on the mound this year, he’s gotten the job done more times than not. With just three strikeouts recorded but also no walks allowed, he continues a season surprisingly characterized by pitch-to-contact performances. Still, the imposing righty earned a few eye-popping whiffs on the evening.
Eloy Jimenez: 1-for-4, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB
Much will continue to be said about Jimenez’s success as a DH, given his well-known aversion to the position. Regardless of how that sorts itself out, there’s no denying Eloy is mashing like never before at the plate. Tonight’s first-inning dinger was his fourth in his last six games and sixth in his last fourteen.
Elvis Andrus: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
For as awesome as Eloy has been, Andrus has seemed to match him step-for-step. The post-trade-deadline waiver acquisition got on base 3 times tonight, marking his 11th 2-hit performance in 23 games for Chicago. He’s now sporting a 151 wRC+ in a White Sox uniform, a remarkable feat for a veteran released mid-way through the year.
Jose Abreu: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
We may not have seen the unstoppable “August Abreu” in action like years past, but well into September No. 79 continues to hit the ball well with consistency. Despite his power lagging alongside his remarkable on-base percentage increase, Abreu knocked one out tonight, a huge insurance run in the eighth. It was his first homer since August 3, a welcome sight for Sox fans.
Next Matchup
The South Siders will conclude their two-game set with Colorado in a matinee tomorrow. Dylan Cease will square off against lefty Kyle Freeland in that one.
The game will kick off at 1:10 PM CT on NBC Sports Chicago.
Follow us @SoxOn35th for more updates throughout the season!
Featured Image: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
