As I Was Saying

Tony La Russa was at his ever-loving La Russa best last night speaking to reporters following the White Sox-Astros’ game. Sox starter Johnny Cueto was magnificent over eight innings of two-run ball. It should’ve been eight shutout innings but a Josh Harrison error in the top of the first set up both Houston runs. Do you know why Harrison made an error? All that spin on the ball. But he didn’t give up, no sir. Funny thing is, I thought I saw Cueto shoot a look at Harrison that pretty much said, “Don’t do that again.” I said Jose Abreu is the smartest hitter on the team. Last night, he had two hits. With the score tied in the eighth inning and a runner on second, the Astros wanted no part of Abreu (see, two hits, above) and walked him. I also said Andrew Vaughn is the second-smartest hitter on the Sox. Last night, during a four-run eighth inning, Vaughn doubled down the right field line on a 2-2 pitch to put the tying runs in scoring position. I also said something about Eloy Jimenez’s considerable natural talents. Last night, Eloy showed smarts as well, following Vaughn’s double with one of his own, a groundball smash down the third base line on an 0-2 pitch, low and way inside. Nice. I always talk about Yasmani Grandal and Yoan Moncada, and it’s hardly ever nice. Well, Grandal followed Abreu’s walk with one of his own to load the bases and bring up Moncada, who promptly singled in two runs. Grandal and Moncada either both rose to the moment or both made like a broken clock that gets it right twice a day. You decide. Cueto gets the win, and the Sox go four games over .500; they have yet to reach five over this season. Tonight, Dylan Cease will see if he can change that. The only thing standing in his way? Justin Verlander. This should be good.