Game-tying bunt sets stage for White Sox walk-off in home opener

CHICAGO -- Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like Rate Field for the White Sox.

After losing five of six on the road to open the season, the South Siders returned home Friday to upend the Blue Jays, 5-4, on a walk-off single in the 10th by Tristan Peters off closer Jeff Hoffman in front of 33,171 fans. The opener in Chicago was moved back one day from Thursday due to the forecast of inclement weather throughout the day.

Peters could recall maybe one other walk-off hit over his entire baseball career, but this connection marked his first in the Majors. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter didn’t get his first big league hit until March 28 in Milwaukee, so the first walk-off is not surprising.

“Yeah, it’s been awesome playing every day so far since Opening Day,” Peters said. “It’s been great. Just getting my at-bats and seeing pitching at the big league level. It’s awesome. I’m just trying to stay consistent.”

“Exciting finish. It was a rollercoaster game there,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Guys continued to battle, played well and got the big knock.”

The White Sox were one out from losing for the sixth time in seven games, as Hoffman struck out Austin Hays to keep Miguel Vargas at third in the 10th. The Blue Jays had taken the lead in the top of the frame on a two-out throwing error by Vargas on a George Springer grounder, with first baseman Munetaka Murakami coming off the base to corral the throw and try to nab Springer.

But bunting set the White Sox free. Bunting from Derek Hill, in this case. Tyler Heineman had replaced catcher Alejandro Kirk just two pitches earlier after Kirk took a foul tip from Hays off his left thumb. So Hill tested Heineman with a well-placed bunt up the third-base line.

Heineman threw wildly to first, not only allowing Vargas to score the tying run but also sending the fleet-footed Hill into scoring position. The first-pitch bunt was suggested by Venable in the dugout before Hill stepped to the plate.

“Skip came out and was like, 'If they're playing back, don't be afraid to drop one down,' and [I] just went out there and executed his plan, and it all worked out,” Hill said. “It was cool for me, but to see Petey go out there and do that for his first one, we have to get him with a little beer shower tomorrow -- once we get that win tomorrow."

“I mean, that bunt was incredible,” Peters said. “Just keep us in the game like that, and then I’m just thinking, 'I know Derek is very fast, so a single scores him.' I’m just trying to make contact and get it on the grass in the outfield somewhere.”

A 3-1 White Sox lead entering the eighth evaporated when Andrés Giménez connected for a game-tying home run off Jordan Leasure. The White Sox had toppled Dylan Cease, their onetime ace, by scoring their first three runs over his 4 2/3 innings.

That support appeared to be enough for Grant Taylor, who pitched a perfect first as the opener with all nine of his pitches going for strikes, and Sean Burke, who allowed one run over six innings as the bulk hurler. Burke struck out seven, and most importantly, didn’t issue a walk.

Taylor will open again on Saturday, with Anthony Kay set to do the bulk work.

“It’s kind of interesting because you know you are only going out for one inning,” Taylor said. “It’s a lot different from what I did in the Minors. But the pregame routine is very similar. It’s a lot of fun. Definitely a different role than I get to do on a normal day in the bullpen. I enjoy it. It was a good day.”

Beating the defending American League champions has meaning in and of itself for a young team like the White Sox. It means even more to do so in front of a raucous home crowd, who, much like the team, put that rough first week behind it.

“You always want to win the ones at home, especially the home opener,” Taylor said. “It was a great team win overall. A lot of guys did some stuff outside the big moments. A lot of guys putting the team first, and that ultimately helps us to win.”

“To lose the lead, go behind and to have them be behind us and be in our corner meant a lot,” Venable said in praising the fans. “The guys responded and were able to finish the job.”