With back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow and a depleted roster, the White Sox were going to have to dig deep to get past the Giants, who have been putting up impressive numbers offensively all spring. They were also going to have to call a player up from the Sacramento Rivercats, their AA affiliate out in California, in order to field a full squad. They called on Terrence, a veteran of summer and fall ball with a reliable glove and big bruising bat. Would he provide the pop the White Sox needed to equal the punishing lineup of the Giants? Would the White Sox have enough pitching to survive two games in two days against two hard-hitting teams?
Will took the mound for the Sox in the top of the first. He came out firing heat, but the Giants' lineup came as advertised and put up three runs to take an early lead right out of the gates.
Sox leadoff man Eric wasted no time making up ground. He connected on a 1-2 fastball and clocked one all the way to the warning track in right field for a triple. Tim brought him in with a single into right field and just like that the Sox cut the Giants' lead to two. Mike ripped one hot up the first base line, but the Angels' first baseman was quick with the glove and to the bag to end the inning.
Eric came out to pitch the second after zipping up the first with two straight Ks. The lefty throws gas and he's just been brilliant his last couple of outings. The Sox would need more of the same today in order to save pitchers for tomorrow. Eric delivered, striking out the side in the second, putting up a zero, and keeping the game within reach for his White Sox. Behind the plate, Mike battled a stiff league-issued catcher's mitt but was able to make some key stops to keep runners at bay.
Bottom two, Terrence would make some noise with a hard single into center field. But, the Sox would strand him at first as the Giants had a top-tier pitcher of their own throwing cheese. 3-1, Giants, after two complete.
Looking for some insurance, the Giants loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third. Eric didn't flinch. Calm, cool, composed, he went about his routine and struck out two in a row to get out of the jam. No damage done.
Tom was looking to rally his Sox in the bottom of the third. He hustled out an infield single and promptly stole second to put himself in scoring position with one out for Jared. Jared exercised great plate discipline to earn a free pass and the Sox had two on. Jeffrey ripped one into right field to score Tom, but a great throw from the right fielder had Jeffrey out at second. It was now a 1-run ball game, though, with the tying run at third and two out. Tim, known for his uncanny ability to convert baserunners into RBIs, tied the game with one dramatic swing of the bat. First pitch swinging, he lined one into center field for a single and suddenly we were all knotted up at 3.
Eric would keep it that way in the Giants' half of the fourth, retiring the side in order on three Ks and hanging up a third straight zero. 3-3, after three and a half.
The bottom of the fourth brought Will to the plate for the Sox. This kid has one of the most technically beautiful swings you'll see, but it's not just pretty to look at. It's both beauty and brawn, because when he gets a hold of one, it goes a long, long way. In a hole 0-2, he was swinging to protect but was able to put fat metal on a heater up and in and drove it into deep right field for a long single. With the go-ahead run at first and nobody out, Drew stepped in. He had worked a walk back in the second and was quite choosy this time up as well. He did not get his pitch, so he wisely took four balls, put himself on at first, and kept the line moving for Terrence. Still nobody out in the bottom of the fourth with the score tied at 3. The Sox were threatening, and Terrence was set to blow this game wide open. He got all of a fast ball up and drove it to center field for the go-ahead RBI. 4-3, now, and the Sox would never look back.
Dan singled in a run to make it 5-3, followed by Eric who would drive in another with a shot into center field. Tom walked to load the bases for Jeffrey, who hammered one all the way to the wall in straight away center for a bases-clearing triple. Tim, clutch with runners in scoring position, singled in Jeffrey to make it 10-3 Sox.
Eric, nearing his pitch count, faced one batter in the top of the fifth before handing the ball over to Dan. It was another dazzling performance for the young lefty: 10 Ks and 0 ER over 3.2 innings of work. Lights out. With this effort, the Sox were able to save enough pitchers for tomorrow's match-up against the Angels.
Dan went right to work retiring the next three batters in a row, one on a K, the next on a pop up to Terrence at left field who made a nice grab drifting in and left, and the third on a pop-up he handled himself.
Dan singled in the bottom of the fifth, but a new Angels pitcher was able to close the door after that, and the Sox would enter the top of the last with a 7-run lead.
Dan took the mound on a short pitch count in order to keep himself available for tomorrow's game. He took care of two batters with ten pitches and then handed the ball over to Jared who closed out the game efficiently with two pitches, the second of which induced a soft grounder to second where Eric scooped and flipped to Jeffrey at first to end the game.
In a tough spot in the schedule and missing three key players, the Sox had to be running on all cylinders to pull this one out. Strong pitching and clutch hitting made the difference tonight.
Speaking of clutch hitting, the game ball went to Terrence, whose RBI single in the fourth put the Sox ahead for the first time in the game and sparked a rally that gave the Sox the crooked number we needed to win the game.
Tomorrow, we will be looking for more of the same against a tough Angels lineup. We'll be back at Cusick Field. See you there!
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