Orioles soar over White Sox, 6-2
And it really wasn’t that close
LET US LEAD WITH THE WHITE SOX HIGHLIGHT INFORMATION
Lenyn Sosa started his first major league game, and he scored his first major league run. You can see it on White Sox Twitter if you’re desperate to see something more or less good.
Lance Lynn looked sharp most of the time, until he ran out of gas and was allowed to sit stalled in the middle of the freeway anyway.
NOW ON TO REALITY
Sosa did score a run, one which came because he led off the third getting on via error and then came around when Luis Robert got a lucky pop-up single to right and Jorge Mateo kicked around the throw in from the outfield. The Sox even scored a second run, a record for the Baltimore series, but only because the first two batters in the ninth got hit by pitches and a couple of ground outs drove one in without a hit.
Whoopee. But what can you expect when the opponent has the audacity to throw a pitcher on an emergency call-up from Triple-A, who had a 7.33 MLB career ERA coming in? Why should the White Sox be able to hit ... Spenser Watkins?
As for giving up runs, Mateo more than made up for his error by starting the scoring with a homer, hitting a double followed by scoring when Leury García literally kicked around a Cedric Mullins grounder, and walking and scoring in the seventh, when the game was broken open by the Orioles and the HOFBP.
YES, LET US DISCUSS THE SEVENTH
Lynn, making just his third start of the year, had gotten through six innings on 86 pitches, 60 of them strikes, and had given up just the two runs scored by Mateo (the second one, unearned). He got pounded hard in the third and only got away with the one run because of two rockets hit right at infielders, but recovered nicely after that. Heading to the seventh, down 2-1, Lynn had walked none and struck out eight. Nice work so far, even if it was helped by a strike zone as wide as his girth (honesty would require mentioning he was the only pitcher getting that zone, but this is a fan site, so honesty has nothing to do with it).
Despite his just being off the IL recently, and despite a well-rested back of the bullpen, the HOFBP sent Lynn out for the seventh. So far, OK. But then, the White Sox were done in by glaringly incompetent management.
Lynn looked really tired, but he got a fly out, hit a batter, another fly out, and then walked Mateo on four straight balls after being up 0-2. With the top of the order coming up for the fourth time through, Lynn absolutely needed to be pulled, right?
Well, that’s why you’re not in the Hall of Fame.
Mullins hit a lucky dribbler of a single to load the bases. Lynn had now thrown 108 pitches. Did I mention it was only his third game of the year? Nonetheless, Lynn stayed in to hit Trey Mancini on the hand, forcing in a run to make it 3-1.
Finally, the HOFBP got off of his butt. But the game is absolutely on the line, it’s the 3-spot in the order, and Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly are well-rested, so does the HOFBP have one of them ready to go?
Hell, no. Instead, in comes José Ruiz, one of the very worst relievers in the majors when it comes to handling inherited runners. He only needed two pitches to enhance that reputation by giving up a rocket of a three-run double to Austin Hays, making it 6-1.
All six runs, five earned, were charged to Lynn. He didn’t deserve that.
WHAT NOW?
If the White Sox were a real baseball organization, one wanting to play well and win, this HOFBP would be told today in no uncertain terms that he just decided to retire to spend more time with his family. But this is a joke of an organization, led by an octogenarian whose only concerns in life are money and getting his way in all things at all times, so nothing will happen.
The White Sox are now four under .500, in danger of a four-game sweep at home by a last-place team (usual disclaimer: that’s last place in the mighty AL East), and playing with all the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old faced with a plate of broccoli. Dylan Cease will try to stop the carnage tomorrow, facing Jordan Lyles. Lyles recently gave up six runs to the Royals, so maybe the Sox can set a new high for the series and score three.