Chris Getz, Chicago White Sox senior vice president and general manager, takes questions at a press conference to announce his promotion to the new positions at Guaranteed Rate Field Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Following a challenging road trip against the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, the Chicago White Sox return home to start a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday. The Pale Hose managed to secure two wins on the West Coast swing. While poor relief pitching cost them the series in Seattle and faulty starting pitching led to two blowouts in Arizona, the club hopes to bounce back at home.
Relief-less in Seattle
If I told you that the White Sox lost last Monday’s series opener to Seattle by a score of 8-4, you might not guess that Erick Fedde pitched seven innings of one-run ball. Then again, if you’re one of the few people who still watch the 2024 White Sox, you’re unsurprised they lost a game in which they led 4-0 in the eighth.
Luis Robert Jr. got the White Sox on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth. Lenyn Sosa drove in a run in the seventh, and Corey Julks blasted a solo homer in the eighth.
The Mariners scored three times against reliever Michael Kopech, who recorded just two outs. Pedro Grifol’s decision to employ Kopech for a two-inning save, a risky strategy, backfired. Jordan Leasure relieved him to get the final out of the eighth before his ninth inning went off the rails. Cal Raleigh belted a walk-off grand slam after two walks and a single.
Good Rookies
Rookie Drew Thorpe looked strong in his Major League debut in Seattle last Tuesday. He tossed five innings of one-run baseball, allowing three hits while fanning four.
However, once again, the game unraveled in the South Siders’ bullpen while clinging to a one-run lead. A two-run single by All-Star hopeful Martin Maldonado and back-to-back solo homers in the third by Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong gave the White Sox a one-run lead.
