The Chicago White Sox had already scored two runs during the fourth inning to tie Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians.
They were in position for more with two runners on and no outs.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee struck out Colson Montgomery. Josh Rojas then grounded into a double play.
“Really good job of the guys stringing together some nice at-bats,” manager Will Venable said. “It was quality at-bat after quality at-bat in a row there. Just kind of hit a wall there. It was good there to score the two runs with no outs. And then after that weren’t able to push any more runs across.”
The momentum swung back in Cleveland’s direction. Kyle Manzardo hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning and the Guardians went on to defeat the Sox 6-2 in front of 21,785 at Rate Field during the reunion weekend for the 2005 World Series championship team.
The Sox fell behind early on Saturday. Starter Sean Burke issued back-to-back walks to José Ramírez and Manzardo with two outs in the first inning. Carlos Santana drove in Ramírez with a single to right for the game’s first run.
“I found my footing with all the stuff (after the first inning), I just kind of threw too many pitches in the first inning — I threw 30,” Burke said. “But from that point on, I felt a lot better with everything.”
Santana singled again in the fourth. He advanced to third when Daniel Schneemann doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Angel Martínez, giving Cleveland a 2-0 lead.
Burke allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
“Sean was all right,” Venable said. “Early there I thought he just struggled with fastball command. Didn’t think he had his best fastball actually, maybe better late. But did a nice job settling in and gave us a chance to be in the ballgame.”
Burke threw 97 pitches.
“Day like today, didn’t feel my best coming into this game,” Burke said. “Would have liked to have gone longer given that the bullpen wore it a lot yesterday (with a doubleheader, including an 11-inning second game). Would have liked to have gone deeper in that game, but still think with feeling how I felt, being able to get through that and still give us a chance to win, it was a solid outing.”
The Sox tied the score with the two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa began the inning with singles. Benintendi beat a pickoff attempt while stealing third, with Sosa taking second. Kyle Teel drove them both home with a single to left field.
“Just trying to get a good pitch to hit, he threw me a changeup and I was able to stay through it and hit it to left field,” Teel said.
Luis Robert Jr. followed with another hit. But Bibee got out of the jam with the strikeout and double play.
Bibee allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.
“Overall, I think Bibee did a good job of getting some chase below the zone,” Venable said. “His offspeed and secondary stuff was working very well. He’s a guy that we came in knowing we were going to have to handle the heater and the offspeed stuff. He just kind of beat us with both.”
With one out in the sixth, Manzardo homered to right against Sox reliever Jordan Leasure.
The Guardians added another run in the seventh through small ball. Austin Hedges doubled against reliever Tyler Gilbert, moved to third on a bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly when Benintendi’s throw from left field bounced away from the catcher Teel.
Cleveland put the game out of reach in the ninth with RBI singles by Steven Kwan and Ramírez.
That was enough to hold off the Sox, who had six hits but none after the fourth inning.
“Credit to their pitchers,” Teel said. “They did a good job, but overall we need to do better as a team. And the beautiful thing about baseball is we have a game tomorrow.”
The Sox (32-64) will try to salvage a split when the four-game series concludes Sunday in the final contest before the All-Star break.
Originally Published:
