Alexei Ramirez saves the day, series for Chicago White Sox
Apr 13, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez (10) is greeted after hitting a two-run walk off home run during the ninth inning at U.S Cellular Field. the Chicago White Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 4-3. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
There were two rain delays and a blown save for the Chicago White Sox, but the day was saved by veteran shortstop Alexei Ramirez with a walk-off home run.
Ramirez, with one out in the bottom of the ninth, raised his hands in the air once he hit the baseball, because he knew where the ball was going … over the fence for a 4-3 White Sox victory and a series win against the Cleveland Indians, Sunday.
The win wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t textbook, but it was a win, and to win three of their last four games against the Indians is something to build on for the next series coming up with the defending World Series champion, Boston Red Sox.
Again, it was the offense bailing out another lackluster bullpen effort, this time with Matt Lindstrom being the culprit with the blown save. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, as the top of the ninth saw Jose Abreu make an error at first that should have been an out.
But the two hits that followed and the wild pitch go on the pitcher. Like I tweeted earlier, the White Sox closer is really a eighth-inning setup man, but what can they do?
Winning on a walk-off is always fun, but the shape some of the bullpen is in makes the win a little less exciting.
Time will tell what they have to do at closer, but for now, let’s look at some positives from this win, because winning is fun.
• One of the good things about this series in winning three of the four games was that it came against the Indians, especially after losing to them 17 times last year.
• More on Ramirez … he has a hit in all 13 games this season. Very nice.
• How about Adam Dunn going 2-for-4, including his second double of the season?
• Conor Gillaspie has a streak of his own … 11 straight games with a hit.
• I have to continue to praise Maikel Cleto. This outing, he went two innings, allowing no hits and two walks. Maybe the White Sox should give Cleto a turn in closing a game, just to see what happens.
How this game went: Both teams scored one run in the fourth inning, and the White Sox broke the tied score in the bottom of the eighth with Marcus Semien homering with one out for the 2-1 lead.
Then we all know how the game ended, following a two-run top of the ninth inning.
In all of this, Lindstrom may have had the blown save, but he did earn the win for a 1-1 record this season. The loss went to John Axford (0-1).
On Monday, the White Sox have an off day, but on Tuesday, they host the Red Sox with former White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy (0-0, 2.13 ERA) opposing current White Sox pitcher Erik Johnson (0-1, 9.58 ERA).
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