(Not) Chipping Away Chicago’s Division Lead

After being swept by the Mets at home, we really need to show our stuff and hit hard against the first place Chicago White Sox.

Series Results

So there’s a rule that a coach can visit the mound four times per nine innings for each pitcher, with an additional visit allowed in the ninth inning if no visits remain. If a coach visits a pitcher a second time in the same inning, the pitcher must be removed from the game.

Will Venable, the manager for the White Sox, went to talk to the pitcher in the middle of Martinez’s first at bat. And apparently Venable didn’t realize the pitching coach had already gone up in the first, which resulted in his starter being yanked after 2/3rds of an inning. There was a brief kerfluffle about it, as initially the umps said the pitcher could finish the at bat, and then Vogt pointed out the pitcher was supposed to be immediately removed … yeah so that was very weird.

Game Results

Game 1 (117) – WON

• Kwan kept his hit streak alive. And hit a solo home run.
• Angel Martinez smacked a salami! Holy shit!
• Parker Messick with 7 innings, 95 pitches, and two runs on four hits (both solo shots)? Excellent.
• Aleman had a hell of a time, though, and you can see why they sent him back to the minors (he came back because Cecconi got hurt).

Game 2 (118) – LOST

• Holderman couldn’t hold on, and it spoiled Big Rig’s great game.
• Hoskins had a 2 run homer and Genoa had his first home run.

Game 3 (119) – LOST

• Bullpen woes continue.
• The 2.5 hour rain delay between the first and second innings was some kind of BS. All because there’s a golf thing tomorrow for the Sox and they didn’t want to play on their shared day off.

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Tomorrow we’re off and then it’s Detroit for three games.