Chicago White Sox Week in Review 8/12-8/18

The Chicago White Sox had an up and down week when they took on some difficult opponents over the stretch both at home and on the road.

The Chicago White Sox played seven games in six days this past week. They faced the Houston Astros for three games at home and then traveled to Los Angeles to play Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels for four games. How did this week turn out? What was notable about the week?

The White Sox were scheduled to play the Astros on Monday, but the game was rained out. Instead, the Sox played a doubleheader on Tuesday. The Astros entered the game 77-41, one of the best records in all of baseball. The first game of the doubleheader featured Dylan Cease versus recent Astros acquisition Zack Greinke. Greinke was his typical self, allowing only two earned runs through six innings, before the Astros bullpen locked down the final three innings. Cease wasn’t great, but his catcher did him no favors. Welington Castillo resembled rotted beef by the end of the game, allowing three passed balls. Jose Abreu was the only Sox hitter with multiple hits and the Sox lost 6-2.

In game two, the Sox had Ivan Nova on the bump and the Astros countered with Chris Devenski. The Astros planned on a bullpen day and that’s just what they got. Devenski, Joe Biagini, Hector Rondon, and Joe Smith pitched eight innings. James McCann and Ryan Goins both had two hits, Nova walked no one in his complete-game performance and the Sox won 4-1. Contending teams probably regret not trading for Super Nova at the deadline now.

In game three the White Sox had a very unfavorable pitching matchup. Ross Detwiler faced Wade Miley. Entering the game, Miley had a 2.99 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Somehow, the Sox surprised the baseball world. Wiley was out of the game in the fourth and the Astros defense had two errors in the second inning to help the Sox score four unearned runs. Tim Anderson had four hits, Eloy Jimenez homered, and James McCann became James McSlam with a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Colome allowed no runs while getting five outs, picking up the win.

The Sox then traveled to Los Angeles to face Mike Trout and the Angels. Reynaldo Lopez took the mound to face Andrew Heaney. Lopez’s second-half success did not continue in this game. He allowed nine hits in 5.1 innings and gave up five earned runs. Mike Trout was a major problem, hitting a home run and accumulating three more hits. The offense gave him plenty of support, but when your team allows eight runs, you won’t win many games. Jose Abreu drove in three, homering twice, and Welington Castillo also homered. It wasn’t enough, as the Sox lost 8-7.

Friday night, the Sox were the talk of baseball when NBA Hall of Fame member Bill Walton joined Jason Benetti in the booth. It was wonderfully weird or truly terrible, depending on who you ask. Sox ace Lucas Giolito was on the mound, facing Patrick Sandoval in Sandoval’s second career start. Giolito struck out 11 in six innings, only allowing two runs while walking three. Mike Trout homered again, his 41st on the season. McCann went three for four, including another grand slam. In completely unrelated news, McCann began changing his last name to McSlam. The White Sox won 7-2 as Giolito picked up his 13th win of the season.

On Saturday, the White Sox used pitcher Hector Santiago and the Angels countered with Noe Ramirez. Ramirez is typically a reliever and he only pitched 1.1 innings. Santiago wasn’t terrible, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing two runs. The bullpen gave up four more runs after Santiago allowed solo home runs to Brian Goodwin and Justin Upton. Eloy Jimenez hit his 21st home run of the season, and McCann doubled. The game ended with a final score of 6-5, as the Angels got the better of the White Sox bullpen.

On Sunday the Sox tried to even up the series with the Angels. Dylan Cease took the mound for the second time during the week and he wasn’t good. The good? He struck out six, only walking one. The bad? He allowed home runs to Matt Thaiss and Kole Calhoun, allowing five earned runs through five innings. The only offensive highlight was Eloy, who homered and tripled. The Sox lost this one 5-2.