Ace(d)

Well, this is certainly a game the White Sox would’ve lost last season. Dylan Cease retires nineteen Astros in a row, only to leave with two runners on and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning of a scoreless tie How do you say “disaster”? Why, Aaron Bummer of course. Bummer walked Kyle Tucker (so much for the lefty-lefty strategy) to load the bases, then struck out Yainer Diaz (so much for the righty-lefty advantage), only Bummer uncorked a wild pitch to the next batter, Jake Meyers. Sox should lose, 1-0. But, wait, Yasmani Grandal, who failed to corral said pitch, hits a two-out tying home run. Then, Andrew Vaughn, who struck out with the bases loaded in the seventh, hits a two-run double in the top of the ninth. (I was on the phone with Clare discussing her car problems, my TIVO two minutes behind the actual game. When I heard my daughter and son-in-law cheer, I figured Vaughn must’ve done something good.) But the 2022 Sox still would’ve lost it in the bottom of the inning. With Reynaldo Lopez closing in place of the convalescing Liam Hendriks, Yordan Alvarez hit a one-out homerun that may never come down. Who should be up next? Why, our old friend Jose Abreu, who battled Lopez through a ten-pitch at-bat that included a dropped foul pop by Vaughn. Cue the game-tying homer. Nope, Abreu grounded out. Then Kyle Tucker walked. Cue walk-off homer. Nope, again. Diaz struck out to end the game, Sox winning 3-2. Did I mention Cease needed all of eighty-six pitches to get to one out in the seventh? The big question here is, were Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech watching? We’ll find out soon enough.