The worst possible situation when we came into this series culminated itself tonight, as the White Sox were handed a sweep from the Detroit Tigers. The division is now knotted up with a month to play, making this last month pretty much entirely new season. Here’s my thoughts on tonight…
ONE PITCH WAS THE DIFFERENCE
Basically, that’s what it came down to, and it wasn’t even a bad pitch by Chris Sale. Delmon Young, a White Sox KILLER who couldn’t hit a slurve to save his life his first two at-bats, golfed one into the left field bleachers in his third at-bat. It was the whole difference in the ballgame.
Delmon Young and the Tigers finished off the sweep on Sunday night (photo via AP).
SALE NOT AT HIS BEST
Sale didn’t have his fastball tonight, which sat between 90-93 for most of the game. His command was also not the greatest tonight as well. However, he still found a way to pitch well, and really was a victim of Young’s good piece of hitting. I know analyzing things is tough to do after series like this, but it’s my job here.
SLUGGISH OFFENSE
For the third straight night, the offense couldn’t get anything going when they needed to. Verlander have his great stuff tonight, making it a whole lot tougher to hit. I really felt the momentum changed in this one with the failed hit and run opportunity with Hudson and Flowers in the top of the sixth. The game seemingly changed after that.
VALVERDE DANCIN’ AWAY
I’m sorry, but if Addison Reed danced and celebrated after he got hit hard and almost blew the game, I’d be pissed at him. He should be pissed at himself for almost blowing the game and getting lucky because Hudson squared the ball up and just happened to hit it right at Jackson. I just hate his attitude, and I hope it catches up to him.
DON’T ABANDON SHIP
I’d like to echo the sentiments of Zach: don’t lose the faith in this team. All season long, the Tigers have shown that they can’t play this well consistently. What’s to say that all of a sudden, they will go on a roll now? If they do and win 20 games this month, heck, they deserve the division, but all season long they’ve done the same up-and-down cycle.
It’s obvious that for whatever reason right now, the Tigers own the Sox in Comerica Park. However, they haven’t been a good road team all season, and we got four more against them at our place in a week. Also, we know that the Sox have a better knack for hitting in the clutch than what they showed us this road trip, and they are first in baseball in average with RISP for a reason. It’s almost an aberration as to how the Sox played in this series. I’m more concerned than I have been all season long because the lead has evaporated, but I have a lot of faith in these guys and their resiliency.
MINNESOTA ON DECK
The Sox have shown that resiliency all season long after tough times, and they get the lowly Twins and those pesky Royals at home this week. It will be Hector Santiago tomorrow making his first start of the season against Sam Deduno and the Twins. Deduno has pitched well of late, and Santiago I think will do alright against a lefty-heavy Twins lineup.
The sprint to the finish line starts now, and the Sox need to put their foot on the gas pedal. Division winners take care of business at home against the Twins and Royals in September.
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Posted by Luke Stanczyk, GSB! Editor