White Sox: Michael Kopech Continues Strong Start to Spring Training
White Sox top pitching prospect continues hot start with another scoreless outing on Saturday. The right-hander has yet to allow an earned run this spring.
Chicago White Sox top pitching prospect Michael Kopech continued his hot start to spring training with another scoreless outing on Saturday. In his start against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz., Kopech pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for the White Sox in their 9-5 win over the Royals.
Kopech allowed just three hits to the Royals in his outing, but he didn’t allow an earned run in his second start of the spring. The 10th ranked prospect according to mlbpipeline.com recorded three strikeouts on Saturday while allowing no walks. Kopech’s dominance in his start has to be encouraging for many Sox fans who are anticipating his major league debut later this year.
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In Saturday’s game, the Sox went up 2-0 early off Royals starting pitcher Ian Kennedy. After retiring the first four batters of the game, Kennedy gave up a double to Casey Gillaspie in the second inning. Gillaspie would later score on a triple hit by Ryan Cordell. Omar Narvaez would later score Cordell with a single off Kennedy.
Although the Royals would later come back to take a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning, the Sox would score six runs in the sixth inning to go on top for good. The scoring began when Jose Rondon reached first base on a throwing error. This led to Cordell scoring from third base to cut the White Sox deficit to 5-3. Charlie Tilson later hit a single to score Rondon and Matt Davidson hit a two-run triple. Luis Alexander Basabe who pinch-ran for Tilson and Eddy Alvarez scored on the triple which put the Sox ahead 6-5.
Jacob May and Micker Adolfo would each add RBI singles and the Sox ended the sixth inning ahead 8-5. Bruce Rondon pitched an immaculate sixth inning as well. Rondon struck out Donnie Dewees, Drew Butera, and Erick Mejia on nine total pitches in his only inning of work on Saturday. This was Rondon’s first outing of the spring. Jordan Stephens pitched three scoreless innings for the White Sox to end the game.
Next: White Sox games to attend this season
The White Sox will face the San Diego Padres on Sunday at Camelback Ranch. Carson Fulmer will get the start as he looks to rebound from an inefficient outing in his first start of the spring against the Cubs.