The Guardians and Chicago White Sox are entertaining vastly different emotions heading into Friday’s opener of a three-game series in Cleveland.
The Guardians appeared to be on the fast track to their third straight loss on Wednesday after Tigers left-hander Andrew Chafin struck out the first three batters he faced in the eighth inning. Luke Maile, however, advanced to first base on a wild pitch and the next seven batters reached as part of a six-run uprising, helping Cleveland rally to an 8-4 victory over Detroit.
“A strikeout that goes to the backstop. How many times do you hear me say, ‘Keep playing, keep playing’?” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “That was kind of the ultimate example.”
“(I) think we’re proving something to other teams like we don’t have quit in us,” right-hander Cal Quantrill said. “I mean, you’ve got to get 27 outs against us, and we’ve got a lot of guys in our lineup who don’t make that easy.”
While Quantrill didn’t offer any names, Jose Ramirez and Andres Gimenez probably reside at the front of the line.
Ramirez, who had a two-run double in the eighth inning, has hits in 13 of his 14 starts since returning from the 10-day injured list on Aug. 2. He is 21-for-59 (.356) with seven doubles, one homer and seven RBIs in that stretch.
Gimenez has hits in 10 of his last 11 games, going 17-for-42 (.405) with five extra-base hits (three doubles, two homers) and six RBIs in that span.
Cleveland right-hander Triston McKenzie (8-9, 3.14 ERA) will take the mound on Friday looking to rebound from his third loss in his last four starts. He surrendered two runs on five hits — including a pair of solo homers — in 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 setback at Toronto on Saturday.
McKenzie, 25, has allowed two runs on five hits in 10 innings during a pair of no-decisions against the White Sox this season. He is 0-2 with a 7.28 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) vs. Chicago.
The White Sox had won five in a row before dropping a 3-2 decision to the Houston Astros on Wednesday. Chicago then ended the four-game series on Thursday by being on the business end of a 21-5 shellacking by Houston.
“It just wasn’t a good day for the White Sox, but in this game it’s one day,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “We split with those guys who are really good and now let’s take care of business in Cleveland.”
Chicago right-hander Lance Lynn (3-5, 5.62), who is scheduled to start Friday’s game, has answered four straight losing decisions by winning two of his last three outings.
Lynn, 35, yielded two runs on five hits and struck out seven in six innings of a 5-3 win over Detroit on Sunday.
He owns a 4-4 record with a 3.88 ERA in 10 career encounters against Cleveland. He allowed eight runs in four innings of an 8-4 loss to the Guardians on July 11 before scattering just three hits over six scoreless frames in a no-decision vs. Cleveland on July 23.
Chicago may have a new face in the lineup. ESPN reported that shortstop Elvis Andrus is expected to sign and join the team prior to the series opener. The White Sox are without two-time All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson (finger) until at least late September.
–Field Level Media
