White Sox fall to the…No, Wait, They Win!
There was a loooot of high-fiving in the White Sox dugout on Tuesday night (Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports).
And what a win it was! 2o hits? How about a season-high 23 hits in a game Justin Verlander started, with 15 of those hits coming in the game’s last two innings.
There are currently seven wonders of the world. An eighth might have been discovered tonight in the inning that bears the same number. The White Sox, seemingly out of absolutely nowhere, pounded Justin Verlander and two relievers to the count of seven runs on nine hits in the top of the eighth inning, leading them to an 11-4 victory over the Tigers and a season-high 23 hits.
Did I mention Verlander started for the Tigers? If only the Sox could play the Tigers every game. I kid, I kid (or am I?).
Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer and Dayan Viciedo hit a three-run shot, which the former player getting a chance to become the first White Sox player to ever hit two home runs in the same inning. However, he hit a measly RBI single.
Some notable facts about the eighth (inning) wonder of the world:
- The Sox scored five runs on five hits before Detroit recorded an out
- The Sox collected over half (wrote at 9:40) half (wrote at 9:43) just under half (wrote at 9:46) a significant amount of their total hits for the game–just under half of their total hits for the game
- Alex Rios and Adam Dunn both had two hits
- Jeff Keppinger walked
- It allowed Jose Quintana to avoid getting a no decision
Oh yeah, Jose Quintana was just a tad overshadowed in this one. Quintana pitched eight innings, giving up only six hits and three runs, striking out seven for his first win since May 21 and recording his first decision since May 27.
Ok, now back to the offense. The Sox scored 10 runs in the final two innings (can you believe this game was tied at one going into the eighth inning?). Alex Rios tied an American League record with six hits, going 6-6 and collecting half of them in the game’s final two innings. Viciedo had two home runs and four RBI and Adam Dunn had 3 RBI. Phenom Josh Phegley was the only Sox player without a hit.
Hopefully the Sox saved some of this offense for future games, but even if they go back to being the anemic offense of 2013, this night was quite a display.
Team Record: 35-52