NBC Sports Chicago is simulating the 2020 White Sox season via MLB The Show during the postponement of play. The White Sox, stocked with young talent and veteran offseason acquisitions, were expected to take a big step forward in their rebuild this season. Follow along as we play out the first few months of the season.
Result: White Sox def. Rockies 13-3
Record: 20-29, 4th in A.L. Central (9.5 GB of Twins)
W: Reynaldo Lopez (4-2)
L: Antonio Senzatela (3-4)
Game summary: The Rockies ran into a buzzsaw in the second matchup of a quick two-game series vs the White Sox. The hosts’ offense scored in every inning but the eighth.
Eloy Jimenez got the party started in the first with a solo shot to left field. Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 13 games and then was knocked in by Tim Anderson on an RBI double to center in the second. Then, Yasmani Grandal followed with an RBI single to center, scoring Anderson. The White Sox broke things open in the 3rd, scoring four more runs on RBI hits by Yoan Moncada, Nick Madrigal and Abreu. The score was 7-0 a third of the way through the game.
Meanwhile, Reynaldo Lopez held the Rockies at bay. He took a shutout into the sixth, losing it on a two-run homer by Raimel Tapia. Lopez leads the White Sox starters with four wins this season.
The South Siders scored six more times, including a run on Jimenez' second long ball. His 17 home runs rank second in the American League and his 48 RBIs lead all AL hitters.
MLB
The White Sox sweep the two-game set and have won six of their last seven games.
White Sox lineup:
Edwin Encarnacion: 0-4, BB, R (.315 BA)
Eloy Jimenez: 3-4, 2 HR (17), 2 RBI, 3 R (.254 BA)
Yoan Moncada: 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R (.251 BA)
Nick Madrigal: 1-5, 2B, RBI, R (.250 BA)
Jose Abreu: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R (.287 BA)
Tim Anderson: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R (.289 BA)
Luis Robert: 0-3, BB, R (.230 BA)
Yasmani Grandal: 3-4, HR (16), 3 RBI, R (.276 BA)
Nomar Mazara: 3-4, 2B, HR (8), 3 RBI, R (.246 BA)
Scoring summary:
Bottom first
Eloy Jimenez homered to left field. 1-0 CHW.
Bottom second
Tim Anderson doubled to right field, Jose Abreu scored. 2-0 CHW.
Yasmani Grandal singled to center field, Anderson scored. 3-0 CHW.
Bottom third
Yoan Moncada doubled to center field, Edwin Encarnacion and Jimenez scored. 5-0 CHW.
Nick Madrigal doubled to left field, Moncada scored. 6-0 CHW.
Abreu singled to right field, Madrigal scored. 7-0 CHW.
Bottom fourth
Nomar Mazara homered to right field. 8-0 CHW.
Bottom fifth
Grandal singled to left field, Moncada scored. 9-0 CHW.
Mazara singled to right field, Abreu and Luis Robert scored. 11-0 CHW.
Top sixth
Raimel Tapia homered to right field, Dom Nunez scored. 11-2 CHW.
Bottom sixth
Jimenez homered to left field. 12-2 CHW.
Bottom seventh
Grandal homered to center field. 13-2 CHW.
Top eighth
Nolan Arenado homered to right field. 13-3 CHW.
Notable performance: After a burst of power to start the season, Yasmani Grandal's bat has largely been quiet. That is, until the past week. With his homer on Wednesday, Grandal now has six long balls over the last six games. He is tied for fifth in the AL with 16 on the season.
Next game: Thursday, May 21 - Game 50: White Sox at Twins (Michael Kopech, 0-0, 3.12 ERA vs Jose Berrios, 5-2, 3.62 ERA)
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