Six Pack of Stats: Pirates 4, White Sox 1

another one-run output triggers a season-worst 42 games under

You can’t win when you score one run.

While that’s technically untrue, especially when Garrett Crochet is pitching, it is most assuredly true when Crochet is All-Star Game-limited to two innings AND when your offense scores once and musters small-ball hits all game.

Have fun in Texas, Garrett. We don’t blame you if you take the long way home.

Big Swing/Top Play

Baseball Savant

Nick Gonzales doubled in Connor Joe for a 13.5% WPA swing in Pitt’s favor in the sixth, one of four double-figure swings in the game, all (obviously) very minor changes. The run made it 3-1, Pittsburgh, and made a Pirates win almost inevitable, at 80.4% likelihood. Individually, the play packed a 13.3% WPA.

Luis Robert Jr.’s single to drive in the only White Sox run was tops for Chicago, at 10.7% WPA.

Top Performer

Nick Gonzales clocked in with a game-high 14.2% WPA. Despite just a two-inning start, Garrett Crochet pitched well enough to rack up 9.7% WPA, good for third-best in the game.

Hardest Hit

There were four exit velos of 107 mph tonight, two from each side, but Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes cracked a single in the sixth off of Jonathan Cannon that topped all, at 107.6 mph.

Weakest Contact

Corey Julks pooted a Texas Leaguer to center field in the fourth, perfectly-placed (.560 xBA) but gently tapped (64.2 mph).

Luckiest Hit

Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a grounder to Lenyn Sosa at second that a .180 xBA says should have been an out.

Toughest Out

Bryan Reynolds murdered a ball in the eighth, but his 105.6 mph screaming meemie was gloved by Andrew Vaughn. A .740 xBA — third-highest in the game — went for an out.

Longest Hit

Michael A. Taylor actually had the two longest blasts of the game, neither leaving the yard. In fact, just one was a hit: A 392-foot double in the third. Taylor’s next at-bat was a 384-foot sacrifice fly.

Futility Watch

White Sox 2024 Record 27-69, worst 96-game start in White Sox history (4 1⁄2 games worse than the next-worst, 1948 White Sox) and tied for 19th-worst start all-time
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -168, tied for 52nd-worst 96-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 46-116 (.284)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 3 games better
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 5 games better
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 10 games worse
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 6 1⁄2 games worse
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 8 games better
*record adjusted to a 162-game season

Glossary

CSW called strikes plus whiffs
Hard-hit is any ball off the bat at 95 mph or more
LI measures pressure per play
pLI measures total pressure faced in-game
Whiff a swing-and-miss
WPA win probability added measures contributions to the win
xBA expected batting average