After an anemic showing the past three nights in Arlington, the White Sox offense came to life Sunday. Notably, much of the output came from bats at the top of the lineup, a sight for many sore Sox fan eyes. A.J. Pollock, Eloy Jimenez, Jose Abreu, Andrew Vaughn, and Leury Garcia all recorded multi-hit games, with three hits apiece for all except Jimenez.
The battering commenced in the second inning, with Pollock registering a clutch 2-out single to give the South Siders a 1-0 lead. Vaughn added some cushion with a two-run shot to left-center in the third, and Robert and Jimenez broke the game open in the fourth with a run-scoring double and single, respectively.
Lucas Giolito labored through five innings but ultimately got the job done with a one-run showing. The 28-year-old yielded six hits and three walks but navigated his way out of trouble in a few different innings to prevent any serious damage. Chicago’s bullpen then cruised the rest of the way, surrendering just one run on a Nathaniel Lower homer to give the Sox the six-run victory. Jimmy Lambert, Jake Diekman, Jose Ruiz, and Matt Foster were the relievers of choice today, keeping Tony La Russa’s top arms completely fresh for Tuesday’s doubleheader in Kansas City.
With the Twins’ controversial loss to the Blue Jays in Minnesota, the White Sox are once more just two games back of the division lead. Time will tell if they can ever push any closer. For now, they sit at 55-53.
W: Lucas Giolito (8-6) | L: Spencer Howard (2-4)
StatCast Breakdown
Box Score
Offensive Recap:
Pitching Recap:
White Sox Scoring Recap:
Top 2nd: A.J. Pollock singles to left field. Josh Harrison scores. 1-0 White Sox.
Top 3rd: Andrew Vaughn homers to left-center field. Jose Abreu scores. 3-0 White Sox.
Top 4th: Luis Robert doubles to right field. Leury Garcia scores. A.J. Pollock scores. 5-1 White Sox
Top 4th: Eloy Jimenez singles to left field. Luis Robert scores. 6-1 White Sox.
Top 6th: Yoan Moncada walks. Eloy Jimenez scores. 7-1 White Sox.
Top 7th: Luis Robert reaches on a throwing error. Leury Garcia scores. 8-1 White Sox
Notable Performances
Lucas Gioltio: 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K
Giolito has gone exactly five innings in his last three starts but has consistently kept his team in the game. In those contests, he’s now allowed three, two, and one run, respectively. His season ERA is now 4.91, which is ugly, but much better than where it was before this stretch. He only gave up three hard-hit balls this afternoon according to Statcast, so the struggle wasn’t as damning as it may seem. Giolito’s peripheral stats like FIP and xFIP indicate that he’s been very unlucky, so positive regression may continue to come for the upcoming contract-year pitcher.
A.J. Pollock: 3-for-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R
While he may not be the most consistent hitter, A.J. Pollock is consistently good at the top of the lineup. His third three-hit game of the season set the tone for the South Siders today, and continued production out of him would be huge for the White Sox moving forward.
Andrew Vaughn: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 HR
There are few players who deserve the “pure hitter” label more than Andrew Vaughn. The former third overall pick has erased any doubts over his everyday presence in the lineup over the course of the 2022 season, now sporting a .298/.349/.464 batting line. In a lineup that lacks power, Vaughn dingers are a pleasant sight.
Other Game Highlights
The Next Matchup
The White Sox get an important day off tomorrow before a stretch of 21 games in 20 days. On Tuesday they square off against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, with Lance Lynn on the bump in game one and no other pitchers announced. It would seem likely that Davis Martin starts game two, however.
The doubleheader broadcast will begin at 3:10 PM CT on NBC Sports Chicago.
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Featured Image: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
