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. Tigers, 11-2
Record: 40-34, 2nd in AL Central (2.5 GB of Twins)
W: Reynaldo Lopez (6-3)
L: Spencer Turnbull (1-10)
Game summary: With the Twins winning streak reaching eight games, the White Sox needed to keep pace with the division leaders as they took on the Tigers. The South Siders continued their winning ways as they beat Detroit 11-2, their 12th win in their last 15 games.
Reynaldo Lopez picked up his team-leading sixth win of the season with plenty of run support from the White Sox offense, which slugged six home runs. Lopez went six innings while giving up two earned runs as he’s made a stark turnaround from his struggles in 2019.
The Sox offense got their production from the top of the order as the No. 1-5 hitters all homered. Eloy Jimenez led the way with two home runs and now has 27 on the season, good for second in the American League. He trails teammate Yasmani Grandal (28), who leads the league. Grandal homered again Wednesday and continues to lead the Sox offense toward the top of the standings.
White Sox lineup:
MLB
Edwin Encarnacion: 1-4, HR, RBI (.322 BA)
Eloy Jimenez: 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI (.262 BA)
Yoan Moncada: 1-5, HR, 2 RBI (.273 BA)
Yasmani Grandal: 2-5, HR, RBI (.313 BA)
Jose Abreu: 1-5, HR, 2 RBI (.301 BA)
Tim Anderson: 1-3 (.283 BA)
Luis Robert: 1-4 (.233 BA)
Nick Madrigal: 2-4, 2B (.271 BA)
Nomar Mazara: 0-4 (.262 BA)
Scoring summary:
Top third:
Eloy Jimenez homered to left field, Nick Madrigal and Edwin Encarnacion scored. 3-0 CHW.
Top fourth:
Luis Robert doubled to right field, Tim Anderson scored. 4-0 CHW.
Top fifth:
Encarnacion homered to left field. 5-0 CHW.
Yasmani Grandal homered to right field. 6-0 CHW.
Bottom fifth:
Niko Goodrum singled to center field, Christian Stewart scored. 6-1 CHW.
Harold Castro sacrifice fly to right field, Jeimer Candelario scored. 6-2 CHW.
Top seventh:
Yoan Moncada homered to left field, Jimenez scored. 8-2 CHW.
Jose Abreu homered to left field, Grandal scored. 10-2 CHW.
Top ninth:
Jimenez homered to left field. 11-2 CHW.
Notable performance: Dane Dunning has struggled in his rookie campaign (7.33 ERA) but was very sharp Wednesday, delivering his best appearance in a big league uniform. Dunning went 2 1/3 innings while holding the Tigers to one hit and striking out two.
Next game: Thursday, June 18 - Game 75: White Sox at Tigers (Michael Kopech, 1-0, 4.40 ERA vs Michael Fulmer, 2-5, 4.66 ERA)
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