MINNEAPOLIS – On a day that the White Sox might otherwise like to forget, José Urquidy gave them something to hang onto as they flew to Houston to start a huge four-game series with the Astros.
With the White Sox hitters struggling to figure out Twins starter Zebby Matthews on Sunday, Urquidy kept the team in the game with five gritty innings out of the bullpen in a 5-1 loss to the Twins at Target Field.
Matthews had a perfect game for 5 2/3 innings before Drew Romo, Chicago’s No. 9 hitter, lined a clean single to right field. But the White Sox didn’t dent home plate until the ninth inning, when Braden Montgomery’s two-out single scored Sam Antonacci with their only run.
Still, the White Sox did take two of three over the weekend, setting up a battle of division leaders when they face the Astros beginning on Monday.
“You come here to win a series, we won the series,” manager Will Venable said. “Obviously, today was very disappointing, just not being able to get the offense going. A tough first inning for us on the mound and on defense. But we won a series and we move on.”
Urquidy brought a sense of calm to the game after a bit of a chaotic start, with the Twins scoring three runs in the first inning off opener Jordan Hicks and tacking on another run in the third against reliever Tyler Gilbert.
“I was throwing more strikes, for sure. I think the secondary pitches were working,” Urquidy said. “I saw a lot of swing-and-miss trying to [get them to] hit ground balls or fly balls on the infield. So that was a difference.”
Urquidy’s observation came in comparison to his most recent outing, when he gave up five runs on six hits and four walks in just three innings in a start against Texas on Aug. 24.
“The last time, I was trying to be perfect with my pitches. I tried to hit the corners or the top of the zone,” he said. “Right now, I was just focused on throwing a strike at the beginning, and I think that was a big difference from the last outing to today.”
Urquidy has now pitched four times for the White Sox since he arrived in a trade with the Pirates for minor leaguer Felix Doroteo on July 26. Three of them have come as a bulk reliever following an opener. He’s 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in those three outings. But Venable indicated that Urquidy’s role will remain in flux as long as that seems to be working.
“I think we approach it the same way,” Venable responded when asked about Urquidy’s next appearance. “Obviously he'll need a few days after this outing, and then if there's a spot in which we need his innings before the next rotation spot, then we'll evaluate, as we always do.”
That uncertainty might bother some pitchers, but it’s clear that Venable and Urquidy are on the same page regarding his role with the team.
“Will was very clear with me at the beginning, when I came here,” Urquidy said. “He knows I'm available – starting, relieving, however, I'm available to do it. When you give me the ball, I'm ready to compete, and if you want me to start, I will start. If they want me to be out of the ‘pen, I will be ready, like today. And we're in the same boat. We have the same purpose. That’s to win games and be here in October.”
A year ago, talk of October would’ve triggered thoughts of colorful leaves, crisp air and the Bears in Chicago. But this year’s White Sox have raised expectations in a way that might have seemed impossible even six months ago.
As for the players? It’s just business as usual.
“Good series,” Romo said. “We wish we would have won today, but it's baseball, it happens. So just move on. We’ve got the Astros tomorrow.”