White Sox: Daniel Palka and bullpen get job done against Indians
In what could have been his last start as a White Sox starting pitcher, James Shields pitched enough innings to join the 200-inning pitchers club.
But, the White Sox veteran could not keep the AL Central champions off of the bases, especially after he crossed the 200-inning mark in the third.
The Indians scored a combined four runs off of Shields in the third and fourth innings. This gave them the lead throughout the majority of the game.
Fortunately for Shields and the rest of the team, the bullpen did its job and kept the Indians from scoring any more runs. By the time Shields night was finished, he pitched six innings, allowing four runs off of six hits and four walks. He struck out six and gave up one home run. Jan Gomes hit that home run in the fourth inning.
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The White Sox took an early lead off of the Trevor Bauer who was in his second start after a lengthy stint on the DL. After Yolmer Carlos Sanchez hit a lead-off single in the first, Avisail Garcia earned a pair of RBI after hitting a home run on a 2-2 count. The Sox held the lead until the third inning when the Indians were able to manufacture a pair of runs off of timely hits and a walk.
In an unusual move by the Indians, only two pitchers were used through the game. After Bauer was pulled in after the fourth, Carlos Carrasco pitched the remainder of the game. The starting pitcher did not have his best stuff and the ChiSox capitalized on it in the ninth.
After a lead-off walk, the Sox hit a pair of singles. Sanchez was again involved in a score, as he earned an RBI for his single that got Yoan Moncada home to bring the Sox within one run. Then, after Leury Garcia sac bunted to move Adam Engel to third, Daniel Palka hit a single to center field that gave Engel and Sanchez room to get home and win the game.
Palka has proven to be one of the most valuable players on the team and has been fascinating to watch in these last two months of the season.
Next. White Sox: Should Jace Fry be the closer in 2019?. dark
The Indians and Sox have their last game of the season against each other on Wednesday night. Jace Fry gets the start against Shane Bieber. This will be Fry’s first career start (he was a starting pitcher in college). The game begins at 7:10 CT.