Four straight losses to begin the season, including three by one run, hardly hampered the Chicago White Sox’s spirit.
After notching their first win of the season on Tuesday, the White Sox will try to make it two in a row on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Atlanta Braves.
The stuff of a 3-2 victory that evened the series — timely hitting and good pitching — wasn’t always in sync at the same time over the first week of the season for the White Sox.
“It’s something that we were searching for, obviously,” said left-hander Garrett Crochet, who gave up one run on three hits and a walk, with eight strikeouts, over seven innings and got the win Tuesday. “We’ve been playing some good ball, but to put it together as a team is awesome.”
Chicago clicked Tuesday while playing a man down. Outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (strained left adductor) missed his second straight game after leaving with the injury Sunday.
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Jimenez is day-to-day.
Jimenez said Tuesday he is feeling “better” as he receives treatment and works in the batting cage.
Gavin Sheets, who is getting extra at-bats with Jimenez sidelined, drove in the first run of the game Tuesday with an RBI single. Luis Robert Jr. stopped an 0-for-12 skid with an eighth-inning double that set up the eventual winning run.
Atlanta made Chicago work to get into the win column. While the Braves collected just five hits, they forced White Sox reliever Michael Kopech to throw 39 pitches en route to a five-out save.
Michael Harris II (walk) and Orlando Arcia (single) reached base for Atlanta to put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base with two outs.
After going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in Friday’s season opener against Philadelphia, designated hitter Marcell Ozuna stretched his hitting streak to four games with a pair of solo home runs.
“He’s not old yet. He’s right in the prime of his career, I feel,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of the 33-year-old Ozuna. “He’s been swinging that bad pretty good here the last few days, too.”
Navigating rainy, wet and windy weather in Chicago this week, the Braves rolled to a 9-0 victory in Monday’s series opener.
Snitker said the elements won’t be an issue during this series or going forward.
“I think if you’re out there running around and your juices are flowing, it [isn’t] all that bad,” he said Tuesday.
Opening Day starter Spencer Strider (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will aim to boost the Braves to a series victory. He took a no-decision on Friday in Philadelphia, scattering two runs and three hits in five innings. He issued two walks and had eight strikeouts.
“That’s the first time he’s been taxed all spring, really,” Snitker said. “His pitch count got up. He threw a lot of pitches (90), and it was really good to see that he kept the game in check and gave us a chance to win.”
Strider is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in one previous start against the White Sox.
Chicago hasn’t determined its starting pitcher for the game.
–Field Level Media