Props

If I’m going to criticize the White Sox, it’s only fair to praise them when they get it right. Yesterday against the Tigers, they got it right. Starting with Michael Kopech, who was even more of a big boy than Dylan Cease looked on Saturday. Kopech went seven innings, giving up two runs—on a homerun, naturally—on a mere three hits and a walk while striking out nine. More of that, please. And I can’t forget crazy Joe Kelly (might be a nickname in that), who threw a scoreless eighth inning, complete with a quick-pitch strikeout of Jake Rogers. Way to go, Flamingo (check the video, also consider a second nickname). How fitting that Liam Hendriks, in just his third appearance since coming back from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, picked up the win with a one-two-three ninth. I like Hendriks. He’s blunt, approachable, charismatic in an Aussie sort of way. The way he’s handled his bout with cancer speaks volumes about his character. But who’d think I’d have anything nice to say about Pedro Grifol? Well, print it out and clip it. Grifol did some nifty managing in the bottom of the ninth by employing three straight lefthanded pinch-hitters—Andrew Beneintendi, Gavin Sheets and Yoan Moncada—in a 2-2 tie against righty reliever Alex Lange, who had given up all of three runs in twenty-four games this season. Benintendi singled, Sheets struck out and Moncada walked for you fans keeping score out there. Tim Anderson also walked, to fill the bases. Next up Jake Burger, with three strikeouts and a walk on the day. All Burger did was hit a walk-off grand slam. How do you say “sweep”? All the above-mentioned contributors are going to have to keep it up in the Bronx starting tomorrow. Going from sweep to swept is never a good look.