The Chicago White Sox and Lucas Giolito faced off against the Saint Louis Cardinals and Jack Flaherty on Tuesday night in a reunion of high school teammates. Both Giolito and Flaherty pitched at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles under new White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz.
The Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals had a strange but fun game on Tuesday.
The White Sox were able to score two runs out of the gates behind two first-inning errors by the Cardinals’ defense. The Sox continued to pour it on in the second inning, scoring three runs on two hits and another error by the Cardinals.
The Cardinals were able to put a run on the board in the top of the third inning behind two hits and an error by White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada.
In the bottom of the fourth, Adam Eaton led the inning off with a single to right field and advanced to second after a fielder’s choice ground ball to second base by Moncada. Jose Abreu came up to the plate and continued to be an RBI machine by hitting a 420 foot two-run home run to left field to put the Sox up 7-2.
Flaherty was pulled from the game in the fourth inning, finishing with a stat line of three and two-thirds innings pitched, three earned runs, three strikeouts, and two walks. Lucas Giolito picked up the win for the White Sox by going six innings pitched while allowing six hits, one earned run, and striking out five.
Three sox players finished with multiple hits on Tuesday night as well. Second baseman Nick Madrigal went 3-4 at the plate and brought in an RBI. Yoan Moncada went 2-4, slugging a double and bringing in an RBI himself. Jose Abreu led the way for the White Sox, going 2-5 at the plate while driving in four RBIs.
In a non-save situation, the White Sox brought in left-hander Garrett Crochet in the top of the ninth inning, who allowed a double to lead off the inning, then allowed consecutive walks to load the bases.
Crochet was pulled in favor of closer Liam Hendriks for what was now a save situation., who slammed the door shut on the Cardinals. Hendriks struck out the side and recorded the save, looking like the $54 million dollar man the White Sox thought he would be. The White Sox look to close the series with a sweep behind left-handed starter Carlos Rodon on Wednesday afternoon.