:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/7274245/145773806.jpg)
John Farrell moved Brett Lawrie and Colby Rasmus to the top of the order and they came through with 8 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles and a home run. i think we'll see them at the top of the order for the next little while. David Cooper chipped in with an opposite field home run and 3 RBI. Jose Bautista drove in two. We made Phillip Humber look bad, not that he needed a lot of help.
On our pitching side...Ricky Romero started pretty well but had a tough 7th inning and then gave up a homer to Adam Dunn to start the 8th and was pulled. A pair of errors by outfielders Rajai Davis (homaging Eric Thames) and a particularly brutal error by Colby Rasmus cost Ricky an unearned error in the first, but from the 2nd through the 6th Ricky retired 15 of 17 White Sox hitters. In the 7th, he gave up a leadoff single to Alex Rios, then a homer to A.J. Pierzynski. A strikeout later, he walked Orlando Hudson. Then Brett Lawrie made an error on a ground ball that was right to Yunel Escobar, but really if Lawrie can reach it, he should play it, as he was moving towards the out. Trouble was, this time, he pulled up short, just before making the play, but interfering with Yunel. Just a bad play. A ground out scored another run.
We were helped out by two Chicago base runners getting thrown out at 3rd. In the 2nd, Pierzynski broke for third on a ground ball hit in front of him. Bad move, Yunel threw him on easy. Then Rios decided to try to get to 3rd, on a ball J.P. Arencibia dropped, but he picked up quick and threw out Alex. A bad moment, 2 outs and your team down 4 in the 8th. That the Rios that we've been trying to forget.
Jays of the Day are Colby (.310 WPA, for the 5 hits and 9 total bases) and Cooper (.199). I'll give an honorable mention to Lawrie, for he 3 for 5 and a couple of really nice plays at third. We'll forgive the error, cause we won. Omar Vizquel had the Suckage number, -.119, off an 0 for 4 night. but he did hit the ball hard a couple of times, he just found gloves. The White Sox middle infield of Gordon Beckham and Alexei Ramirez made some great plays on defense.
Former Jay prospect Zach Stewart, pitched 2.2 innings in relief for the South Siders. He gave up 4 runs, 3 earned, not that much was hit all that hard off him, but lots of soft hits fell in. But then he didn't strike anyone out either.
We are now 29-26, 4th in the AL East (why can't we be in another division?), 2 games back of the Orioles and Rays who are tied at first, after tonight's games.
Tomorrow Brandon Morrow (6-3, 3.28) gets to show us that his shin is ok. Jose Quintana (1-0, 1.69) makes his 3rd career start for the White Sox.