DETROIT – Bring on the Cleveland Guardians.
Yes, the most important series for the White Sox since Sept. 20-22. 2022, when they also faced Cleveland at home, begins Monday night at Rate Field with the Guardians holding a one-game lead in the American League Central.
The White Sox won’t even hit the halfway mark after this three-game set, so everything needs to be taken in context of the full schedule. But first place matters at any point for an exciting team coming off three straight 100-plus loss seasons.
There won’t be much momentum for either squad, with the Guardians dropping a series in Houston and the White Sox getting swept by Detroit this past weekend at Comerica Park. And the third part of that sweep, which was a 5-4 setback in 10 innings Sunday, really stung the South Siders.
They got great pitching from Davis Martin over six innings. Luisangel Acuña homered for the first time since Sept. 21, 2024 when he connected for the Mets off the Phillies Ranger Suarez, and they were one out away from a 2-4 road trip with Seranthony Dominguez on the mound and nobody on base. So what went wrong?
Let’s take a look at some key Sunday moments and the reasoning behind what transpired.
BULLPEN USAGE
Grant Taylor, who hadn’t worked since last Sunday, followed Martin and Bryan Hudson in the eighth inning and allowed Dillon Dingler’s solo home run among his 20 pitches. Kerry Carpenter also blasted a ball 390 feet to right-center in that frame, which was tracked down by Braden Montgomery.
Manager Will Venable went to Dominguez in the ninth, which resulted in his fourth blown save. But with three righties at the bottom of the order, Venable felt as if Dominguez was the right call.
"Really good spot for Ser there,” Venable said. “Regardless of the workload leading up today, the 17-20 pitches, wherever Grant was at, good time to turn the page.”
NEAR VICTORY IN THE NINTH
Dominguez retired the first two hitters and then induced a 91.3 mph grounder in the hole from Jahmai Jones, who hustled to beat Acuña’s throw to first. Dominguez gave up singles to Kevin McGonigle and Dingler, scoring Jones with the tying run.
“I made a mistake on that pitch to Dingler, too much plate,” Dominguez said. “Whatever happened before [on Jones' grounder], [Acuña] did his best and he's a good runner. He beat the throw. He hustled.”
“Tough play going to the backhand right there. I thought the exchange was OK,” said Venable of the Jones’ grounder. “Obviously Jones did a nice job getting down the line. Acuña has been so good defensively. If there was anything else he could have done, he would have done it."
MORE FOR MARTIN?
Martin bounced back from giving up nine runs over 3 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday by striking out four, walking three and yielding five hits. He got through a first-and-third situation in the sixth on a Colt Keith grounder, but left at 77 pitches.
Nonetheless, it was the right move to turn to Hudson, according to all parties involved.
“You look at what that sixth inning looked like. It wasn't, obviously, the crispest of the day,” Martin said. “It was just one of those deals where my ego wants to go back out, but knowing we have Huddy, Grant and Ser …
“You tell me we have those three guys for the next three innings, I think we win the game every time. So just one of those deals where you take the ego out of it, try and do what's best for the team. I knew that was going to be the best way for us to get a chance to win the game.”
ROUGH ENDING
Matt Viereling’s soft single to right off Jordan Hicks brought home the game-winning run in the 10th, when Detroit scored two. The White Sox never recorded an out, partially because first baseman Jacob Gonzalez snared Colt Keith’s high hopper with Riley Greene on third and Spencer Torkelson on first and the game tied, but instinctively threw to home instead of stepping on the base.
Even if Gonzalez makes the play, the White Sox might not escape the 10th.
“I had to jump for the ball,” Gonzalez said. “If I didn’t [throw immediately] and he ran, he would have been safe. I just had to let it go.”
Letting it go seems to be a good idea for the White Sox, as they approach this first-place battle.
“We've just got to regroup,” Martin said. “I'm glad we're going home and able to get back to the rate and put the pieces back together, play our style of baseball and get right back to it.”