Sooner or later, the White Sox bullpen would have an off day, but you wouldn’t have thought it would come against the 12-20, Kansas City Royals. But hey, it’s 2020, and everything has been out of the ordinary.
Dylan Cease (4.1IP 1ER 1H 6BB 5K 93PC) had a bizarre game. He struggled to find his control of the ball throughout the game. In the end, he was able to pitch out of his self afflicted jams but didn’t last five innings. Jimmy Cordero took over in the 5th inning and was able to finish it off without incident.
This is not what the White Sox needed after using five relievers Friday. The bullpen was hoping for an excellent bounce-back performance after having a very subpar showing on Friday, but instead, it spilled right over into Saturday. The pen looked even worse.
Jimmy Cordero came back in to start the 6th inning with a 3-1 lead and allowed a solo home run to 1B Ryan O’hearn, which cut the lead to 3-2. Cordero then ceded the inning to Jace Fry, who was able to get out of the inning. 3-2. Fry came back in to start the seventh inning and got one out before manager Rick Renteria decided to bring in Zach Burdi. That was the beginning of the end for the White Sox.
Burdi came into the seventh inning with the game still 3-2 in the White Sox’ favor. He had two more outs to get, and immediately the first batter, Ryan McBroom, who came in as a pinch hitter, deposited the second pitch he saw over the left-field wall. With the score tied 3-3, it might have been a good idea to talk with Burdi and buy your pen some time. After all, every game is a must-win in this 60-game season.
Pitchers do have to face at least three batters before they can leave the game. Batter one: McBroom, batter two: 2B Whit Merrifield struck out swinging. Batter three: OF Hunter Dozier got a base hit. Burdi had faced his three batter minimum and should have been pulled. Ross Detwiler was warmed up, and Burdi didn’t look like he was ready to pitch today.
Instead, Renteria left Burdi in, and he proceeded to walk Jorge Soler. Now with runners on first and second with two outs would’ve been enough to take him out with the game still intact. Renteria left his young reliever in, and Burdi gave up a single to O’hearn.
The White Sox were down 4-3 with runners still on first and third, but with two outs, Burdi would have to be pulled now, but nope Renteria left him. 3B Maikel Franco was coming up next, and he is an all or nothing hitter, and he got all of what Burdi threw to him. He launched a three-run home run to center field. The Royals’ lead grew, 7-3.
Renteria finally took Burdi out, and Detwiler came in to finish the 7th inning, but the damage was done. Burdi should’ve never seen more than three batters. I know the pen was tired from Friday night’s game. There is no way that inning should’ve been a five-run inning.
It makes you wonder what craziness Renteria might pull in a playoff game.
The offense left plenty of runs out on the bases. The big hits this offense was getting over the past month just did not come. Tim Anderson tallied another big day going 4-5, but the offense couldn’t capitalize as Anderson only scored once on those four hits. Even still, they pushed across six runs, which is impressive. The White Sox fell 9-6 but will get back up and come out strong to take on another series on Sunday afternoon.
The White Sox will have Dane Dunning make his second career start on Sunday, taking on rookie Kris Bubic, who is 0-4 with a 5.96ERA on the season.