The White Sox remain at U.S. Cellular Field and send LHP Jose Quintana (1-1, 2.55 ERA) against Rangers LHP Martin Perez (0-1, 3.44) in Friday’s opener of a three-game series.
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Adam Eaton got a good jump on the liner down the right field line with the bases loaded and saw Ian Desmond break off first base. Saladino then tossed the ball to catcher Dioner Navarro, who threw the baseball to third baseman Todd Frazier, who then tossed the ball back to Eaton.
For those of you keeping score at home, that’s a 9-3-2-6-2-5 triple play. Posting a. 621 OPS with just 53 runs scored through 17 games, they’re averaging barely more than three per game, and nobody wins for long without more offense than that. The only player with more games at the position is Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson with 2,870. “Just go up there and throw the ball”.
Texas never threatened afterwards, and the White Sox kept their 5-0 lead to improve their record to 11-6, now the third best record in the American League on the young season. Though he opted not to flip his bat or stare down the Rangers dugout, Frazier otherwise treated the pitch just as Toronto’s Jose Bautista did in the series-turning seventh inning of the AL Division Series previous year and parked it deep into the left field seats. With an extra defender in the infield, Jimmy Rollins hit into a fielder’s choice before Abreu singled past third base for his second career walk-off hit.
The White Sox had two chances to extend the lead, but Jackson’s squeeze didn’t work – Garcia was thrown out at the plate on it – and Navarro was easily cut down on Delino DeShields’ throw home on Eaton’s single to center to end the inning.
“He hit the hell out of it and I thought it was getting down and I broke”, Fielder said. He finished the day 1-for-3 with a run scored and several impressive defensive plays, including some challenging picks that I cannot imagine Carlos Santana would have made.
“I appreciate and like the effort in the ninth inning, being able to bring the winning run to the plate or put it on base and grind out a ninth inning”, said Ventura, who has presided over three straight losing seasons.
So, get a good look at this triple play – you probably won’t see another quite like it ever again.
The White Sox couldn’t solve Jered Weaver (2-0), who allowed only three hits, including Melky Cabrera’s solo homer in the seventh.
“What a rush”, starter Jose Quintana said.
Delino DeShields was picked off first base in the first inning, his third running mistake in three games. “I think all the runners on that play, we were screwed up”.
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Angels right-handed starter Jered Weaver (2-0) worked seven innings in his third start of the season. Before yesterday’s game against the White Sox, the Angels center fielder was hitting.
