2020 OOTP sim: The Sox head home with a win
CLEVELAND — Trying to salvage the series and avoid a sweep, the Chicago White Sox sent out Michael Kopech, who squared off against Carlos Carrasco. And while that matchup might be a wash, the White Sox did catch a break: AL MVP contender Francisco Lindor got the day off.
The action started slow, but in the third inning, Nick Madrigal singled and stole second. Danny Mendick sac bunted to move Madrigal to third, and Gregory Polanco brought Nicky home with a single.
Up 1-0, the Sox wanted an insurance run in the fourth. Eloy Jiménez and Edwin Encarnación led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Two outs later, Madrigal drove an RBI single to right, for a 2-0 White Sox lead.
Unfortunately, Cleveland came a-storming in the sixth to tie the game 2-2, with back-to-back singles, an RBI ground out and RBI single.
The Sox answered back with a three-spot in the eighth. Two walks into the inning, EE took a ball 412 feet to right for a three-run blast, making it 5-2 White Sox.
In the bottom of the eighth, Cleveland tried to tie the game again, but they came a run short, as Domingo Santana hit a two-run shot.
The Sox hung on, just barely, but they earned the win. In fact, Marshall Kasowski earned his first career save. Chicago improves to 40-37, and believe it or not, the Good Guys are first in the American League in ERA.
The Sox return home on Monday to begin a four-game series against Detroit followed by three games against Oakland.