Chicago White Sox: 10 hits not enough in loss to Royals
At least the Chicago White Sox were able to game 10 hits and score five runs, in what turned out to be a 7-5 loss to the American League champion Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.
The game at Kauffman Stadium had some good moments for the White Sox, seeing Tyler Flowers hit a three-run home run in the top of the second. Even after the White Sox were able to recover from five earned runs allowed by starter Jose Quintana, the bullpen wasn’t able to hold on, leading to a White Sox loss.
Hmm … that sounds familiar doesn’t it? (It is still very early!)
Anyway, it is just the second game of the season, so there is no need to be worried over an 0-2 start to the season, even if two of the three best pitchers of the White Sox starting rotation have allowed a total of 10 earned runs to start the season.
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When your starters have days or nights like that, you will not win many games.
That won’t happen much, so I highly doubt it happens in consecutive starts the next time Quintana and Jeff Samardzija take the mound.
As for the loss on Wednesday, the White Sox led 3-1 after the second inning, but the Royals responded with a three-run third, only to see the White Sox tie the score at 4-4 in the top of the fourth.
After KC got one more run off Quintana in the bottom of the fifth, Zach Putnam gave up a couple hard hit balls to the outfield to the Royals final two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Putnam (0-1) was the losing pitcher of record. The win went to Wade Davis (1-0) and Greg Holland had the save (1).
Apr 8, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) is hit by a pitch by Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana (not shown) in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
In looking at the night of Quintana, he went five innings, allowing the aforementioned five earned runs on nine hits and one walk. He struck out four and hit two batters in Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas.
Speaking of the Royals, they collected 14 hits in their win, with Cain leading them with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, while adding two runs and two RBIs. Alcides Escobar also had three hits with one run for KC.
Games like Quintana happen, and all of us know they will be few and far between. Let’s face it, the Royals are a very good baseball team, and right now are still riding the momentum of being the reigning AL champions to start the ’15 season. I doubt any team would be playing extremely well against the Royals right now.
As for the White Sox, the positive was the play of Avisail Garcia with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, with one run scored. Gordon Beckham and Carlos Sanchez (both not in the Opening Day starting lineup) each had two-hit games with Beckham scoring one run and one RBI.
One aspect of this game to watch for tomorrow afternoon when John Danks faces Edinson Volquez, both teams were given a warning after each team either hit or threw at a batter in retaliation. Will that carry over to the third and final game of this season-opening series? In all honestly, I wouldn’t leave it out of consideration to happen again on Thursday.
It wasn’t the best night for the White Sox in this second game of the season, but the play of the team was better than it was on Opening Day, so that’s something we can smile about after the second straight loss.