In a dramatic matchup full of twists, the Chicago White Sox emerged victorious against the Los Angeles Angels in a game marked by key baserunning blunders from the Angels. The White Sox capitalized on these mistakes to maintain their lead throughout the contest, ultimately winning 5-3.
The White Sox raced to an early 2-0 advantage, courtesy of back-to-back home runs from Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa. Benintendi’s shot narrowly cleared the right field foul pole, while Sosa followed with a deep drive to left. However, despite numerous scoring opportunities, both teams struggled to deliver in pressure situations as the game progressed.
The Angels had a promising start to the game, loading the bases with no outs in the first inning against Shane Smith. Yet, a pivotal caught stealing by Zach Neto at third base shifted the momentum, allowing the White Sox to escape unscathed after facing 35 pitches in the inning.
In the seventh inning, the Angels appeared poised to tie the game after a single from Nolan Schanuel cut the White Sox lead to 4-3. However, Mike Tauchman’s decision-making played a crucial role in preserving the lead for Chicago. Instead of attempting to throw out Travis d’Arnaud at home, Tauchman opted to make a play at third, resulting in a key out at the plate after a review confirmed Gustavo Campero was tagged before d’Arnaud could score.
The White Sox extended their lead in the eighth when Luis Robert, who recently avoided a trade deadline move, contributed a single. Robert then stole second and scored on Sosa’s hit to right, putting Chicago ahead 5-3.
Defensively, the White Sox were aided by strong pitching performances, particularly from Jordan Leasure, who struck out four batters in his stint, further solidifying the win for Chicago.
Highlights from the game include:
– Steven Wilson secured a two-inning save, striking out three batters, making him the sixth White Sox reliever with multiple saves this season.
– Chicago’s offense managed to outhit the Angels 11-4, although the Angels compensated somewhat with a higher number of free passes.
– With their current victory, the White Sox only require a single win in their remaining games to surpass their previous season’s record.
Overall, this match showcased a blend of effective hitting and critical mistakes on the bases, allowing the White Sox to improve their second-half record to 9-4, bolstered by a league-leading total of 27 home runs since the break. This performance offers a glimpse of hope for White Sox fans as the team continues to gain momentum while navigating the remainder of the season.