White Sox shut out for fifth time in 14 games, 5-0
While the Reds manage to get to Garrett Crochet
If you like to watch Major League Baseball players slouch back to the dugout dragging their bats, then this was the game for you.
Starters Garrett Crochet and Nick Lodolo each whiffed 10, something not previously done in MLB this season, then the two bullpens notched another five apiece, setting a season high for total K’s in a game as well.
Since there are no offensive highlights for the Sox, and there were no tough defensive plays to be made, let us take a moment to admire Crochet’s work.
Unfortunately, all of Crochet’s Ks were for naught, as the lefty’s splendid season took a major detour in the second inning, when the Reds got all four of their hits on the day (with a couple of walks for good measure) leading to all five of their runs. The inning went double, single, K, BB, two-run single, K, BB (on a bad 3-2 call — it was a spot where neither lefty was getting the calls, but was a tad untimely), three-run Spencer Steer double, K.
Yep, Crochet struck out the side, for what that was worth, giving him six Ks in two innings. But the five runs gave the Reds an insurmountable lead, given who they were playing. It was a 37-pitch inning, which led to Crochet being pulled with two outs in the fifth, having tossed 92 pitches.
For what it’s worth, the pen did fine after that, retiring 11 Reds in a row before Michael Kopech walked Elly De La Cruz — whom he then picked off, leading to a nifty 1-3-4-3-6-2-3 rundown. That’s just the way you were taught to do it in Little League, right? Were it not for the greatly improved White Sox defense, who knows how many throws there would have been — another 20? Another 30?
Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who hadn’t pitched a major league game since he fractured his left tibia facing the Sox last May 6, carried a no-hitter into the sixth, when Robbie Grossman’s infield single broke up the no-no. The only other Sox hit was a Kevin Pillar single in the ninth — Pillar had earlier gotten on base via HBP and BB — and Pillar proved he’s a true White Sox team member by immediately getting picked off in conventional fashion. That was, please be reminded, with one out in the ninth while down 5-0. Must be that improved base running the powers that be claim to have achieved.
If there was a bright spot, it was that Gavin Sheets hit lefty Lodolo well, but got robbed on two nifty outfield grabs, the first in the fourth.
Sheets also hit a liner to left that was caught on a slide, and Martín Maldonado smashed a ball to deep left-center that was caught at the wall, giving each Reds outfielder an uptick in his UZR rating for the year.
The Sox are now 2-12, which puts them on pace for a 139-loss season, which sounds about right. The season series against the Reds ends tomorrow afternoon, with Michael Soroka facing Graham Ashcraft.
Breaking News
As we went live with this recap, word came from the White Sox that a guaranteed bolster to the offense had been signed and was headed not to the minors for a ramp-up, but right to the big club.
Blue Heeler, a superutility player, should meet up with the team in time for the start of the upcoming Royals series on Monday.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 2-12, tied with 1968 White Sox for worst start ever
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 23-139 (.165)
Race to the Worst-Ever White Sox Record (1932, 49-102-1) 2 1⁄2 games ahead
Race to the Most-Ever White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 33 games ahead
Race to the Worst-Ever American League Record (1916 A’s, 36-117) 15 games ahead
Race to the Worst-Ever MLB Record (1899 Spiders, 20-134) 2 games behind