Uniforms Look Good, Sox Look Bad
By Matt Adams
Rick Porcello took advantage of an impatient approach from White Sox hitters and cruised through the lineup over and over without exerting himself a great deal. After a 5 pitch first inning set the tone, Porcello’s sinker went to work and the Sox continued to yield to it having a tough time reaching base. 5 hits and 1 run allowed in his 7.2 innings of work as Chicago fails to sweep their division rivals.
Tigers: 5
White Sox: 2
Jose Valverde made it interesting in the 9th, entering the game in a non-save situation but managing to work into a situation in which he faced the tying run. Unfortunately Dayan Viciedo would strikeout swinging to end the game.
Chris Sale pitched a pretty good game, though not half as efficient. In 5 innings, over 100 pitches thrown, Sale was charged with 3 runs, but may have really only been responsible for 1, a homerun by Gerald Laird in the 3rd. Of the other 2 runs, 1 came across after Alejandro De Aza was absolutely dumbfounded by the wind and turned a can ‘o corn into a double, creating the extra out necessary for the Tigers to scratch another across. Later, in the 6th, Sale faced Prince Fielder as his only batter in the inning and gave up a double. Fielder would later score on a wild pitch by Nate Jones.
Jones is developing a trademark: enter game, struggle with control, walk some folks, get into trouble, turn it on and get out of trouble. At some point he’s either going to turn it on from the start or that’s going to get him, but it’s impressive to see the rookie perform under pressure. Today’s escape: bases loaded no outs with only the one run given up on a wild pitch that probably should have been at least stopped by AJ.
I hesitate to say that he helped a ton, but Miguel Cabrera certainly didn’t hurt Porcello at 3rd, converting more than a couple defensive chances of varying levels of difficulty. It’s worth mentioning that he appears to be getting the job done out there.
Plus: Dayan “Tank(s)” Viciedo flashed some more of his power in the 8th forcing Porcello from the game. He’s strong!
Minus: Brent Morel with the big strikeout in the bottom of the 8th representing the go-ahead run. He did manage to battle back from an instant 0-2 but what would have been ball 4 from Joaquin Benoit ended up the death of that scoring threat.
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