The Bosox sunk their own grave early in the top of the first inning when Kopech struck Mr. Mookie Betts with a fastball. Andrew Benintendi walked to put early pressure on but Mr. Mookie was foolishly thrown out at third trying to steal. JD Martinez flied out to right and Xander Bogaerts popped up to second to end the inning. That was the closest the Sox would come to have any sort of chance the rest of the game as Eovaldi got rocked in the bottom of the first. In retaliation to Mookie getting plunked, Eovaldi hit Yolmer Sanchez to begin the inning. The ChiSox actually made him pay although Nicky Delmonico flied out to left. Avisail Garcia doubled home Sanchez to give Chicago the lead early then moved to third on the Daniel Palka fly out to center. Yoan Moncada crushed a 40,000 foot bomb to ice the game early. Matt Davidson grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 3-0 already.
The BoSox tried to rally in the top of the second although Eduardo Nunez popped up to first to start. Blake Swihart took strike three but Ian Kinsler doubled. Sandy Leon was plunked to bring the tying run to the plate but Jackie Bradley Jr popped up to second to end the inning. Eovaldi settled down to get Tim Anderson to ground out to second to begin but Kevan Smith hit a ground rule double to right. Adam Engel flied out to right but Sanchez lined out to left to end the inning.
The BoSox did nothing in the top of the third as Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to begin before Benintendi popped up to third. Martinez grounded out to short to end the inning. The rains came and delayed it for almost 2 hours. When play resumed Drew Pomeranz was now on the mound for the BoSox with Eovaldi lasting just 3 innings and allowing 3 runs.
Delmonico whiffed but Garcia doubled and Palka was plunked. Moncada whiffed but Davidson singled to load the bases. Pomeranz whiffed Anderson to end the inning.
Dylan Covey replaced Kopech and the BoSox tried to rally in the top of the fourth when Bogaerts and Nunez stroked back to back singles to start. Swihart grounded out to second to move both runners over but Kinsler was screwed big time by looking at strike three when the pitch was clearly a ball. Leon lined out to center to end the inning, another huge squander.
Pomeranz came back for the bottom of the fourth and Smith grounded out to third to begin. Engel singled but Sanchez whiffed. Delmonico flied out to left to end the inning.
JBJ flied out to center to open the top of the fifth but Mr. Mookie singled. Benintendi and Martinez both whiffed to end the inning. Pomeranz stayed strong in the bottom of the fifth as Garcia lined out to short to begin. Palka whiffed but Moncada singled. Davidson singled but was thrown out trying to stretch a double to end the inning.
The BoSox again did nothing in the top of the sixth as Bogaerts grounded back to the mound, Nunez popped up to first and Swihart grounded out to second to end the inning. Pomeranz got some big defensive help in the bottom of the sixth although Anderson grounded out to third to start. Smith singled but Engel whiffed. Sanchez doubled but Smith was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Kinsler opened the top of the seventh with a walk to chase Covey. Juan Minaya was brought in and Sox manager Alex Cora countered by pinch hitting Mitch Moreland for Leon. Moreland ended up flying out to left and Kinsler was thrown out trying to steal anyway. JBJ flied out to left to end the inning. Swihart moved to catcher, Moreland stayed at first and Tyler Thornburg bolted out of the bullpen running as fast as he could to the mound to pitch the bottom of the seventh. It was a disaster although Delmonico struck out to begin. Garcia walked and Palka singled but Moncada whiffed. Davidson put the exclamation point on with a 2,800 foot 3 run home run to send everyone home happy. Anderson singled and Smith walked, but Engel struck out to end the inning with the White Sox ahead 6-0.
Old pal Ryan LaMarre came in to play left as Minaya returned for the top of the eighth inning. Mr. Mookie flied out to left but Benintendi swatted an opposite field home run to break up the shutout. Martinez whiffed and home plate umpire Wil Little rung up Bogaerts the same way he rang up Kinsler earlier to end the inning. Bogaerts complained and got the heave ho with the BoSox down 6-1.
Brock "The Hitman" Holt took over for Bogaerts with Brandon Workman now on the mound for the Bosox for the bottom of the eighth inning. Sanchez flied out to right as "Slick" Rick Porcello apparently was barking at Little so much that he got tossed too and he wasn't even in the game. LaMarre whiffed but Garcia singled. Palka flied out to left to end the inning. The BoSox were clearly not happy.
Ian Hamilton got the call to close the game out in the top of the ninth inning and the BoSox went quietly. Nunez grounded out to second, Swihart lined out to third and Kinsler lined out to right to end the game. The White Sox had won it easy, 6-1.
Jackass of the Night is Tyler Thornburg. He turned a 3-0 game into an unreachable 6-0 real quick in the seventh inning.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 1 for 3 with an HBP.
Andrew Benintendi was 1 for 3 with a walk and a solo home run.
Ian Kinsler was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Sandy Leon was hit with a pitch in 2 plate appearances.
Drew Pomeranz pitched 4 scoreless innings and struck out 6.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Blake Swihart was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3.
Nathan Eovaldi allowed 3 runs in just 3 innings of work.
The Ugly:
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Brock Holt played short in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Just when it seemed like the Sox were turning a corner with 3 straight wins they once again fell flat on their face against an inferior team. Going life or death with the Marlins and White Sox won't do the Sox any favors if the division race gets closer if the New York Yankees go on a run. The good news is fresh troops are arriving tomorrow including Eduardo Rodriguez so Eovaldi's days could be numbered, which would be a good thing at this point because he's giving them nothing. The bats have gone silent again and that's expected when Betts, Benintendi and Martinez combine to go 2 for 10. They have to find a way to snap out of their funk since the Yankees are not going away. The loss drops the Sox to 93-43, 6.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night marks the first day for September call-ups and it also marks the return of Eduardo Rodriguez (11-3) as he takes on Carlos Rodon at 7:10 PM at Commiskey Park.
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