Acquired by Chicago on Monday in exchange for four players, which included the Cubs’ top prospect Gleyber Torres, Chapman made his team debut Wednesday night and struck out two batters, including outfielder Avisail Garcia to end the game on a 103 miles per hour fastball that sealed an 8-1 victory for his new team. Hector Rondon pitched a ideal eighth, and Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth – striking out Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia – while hitting speeds of 103 miles per hour.
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Anthony Ranaudo returns to the mound after giving up a home run to Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 27, 2016, in Chicago. Ranaudo is 1-0 in two relief where he has a 1-0 record and 17.18 ERA over 3.2 innings.
CHICAGO (AP) – Out went Chris Sale and the shredded 1976 throwback jerseys.
James Shields allowed four singles in 7 2/3 innings, Adam Eaton homered and the White Sox stayed unbeaten since their ace’s suspension by beating the Cubs 3-0 on Tuesday night in Chicago’s crosstown rivalry. “I think they’re probably one of the better teams in both leagues right now”.
The Cubs lost their second straight and never got to use new closer Aroldis Chapman hours after he joined the team and struggled answering questions related to an altercation a year ago with his girlfriend.
“He was sleeping when he got the call so he’s trying to remember what they talked about”, said interpreter Henry Blanco, a Cubs coach.
“When you make a maneuver like this, it’s got to be obvious that it’s going to be very helpful, ” manager Joe Maddon said, “and it’s very obvious that this will be”.
Shields (5-12) struck out five and continued an impressive turnaround from a awful first three starts after being acquired from San Diego last month.
With two outs in the inning, Todd Frazier singled off Kyle Hendricks (9-7) before Wood walked three straight batters to force in Frazier on Tyler Saladino’s RBI walk.
On top of that, Ranaudo’s solo homer off Hammel in the fifth inning gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead.
Chapman had a rocky first day with the team as he wasn’t engaging with reporters in answering serious questions about his past, including several about his suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
“It’s an aggressive move, ” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said.
Minutes after Chapman’s odd interaction with the media, Ventura asserted he can work with Sale despite the ace’s critical comments of the manager for not sticking up for him when he was suspended for the collared jerseys he objected to.
Pirates 10, Mariners 1: Gerrit Cole threw a three-hitter for his first career complete game, and slumping Andrew McCutchen had a three-run home run and two other hits in Pittsburgh’s victory over Seattle. “I think it shows that he may not have understood the question”, Maddon sad.
“One of the things they did ask me was about being a better person and being a better neighbor to people”, Chapman told Gomez, who conducted the interview in Spanish. Wood proceeded to walk the next three hitters to force in a run before getting Eaton to ground out to end the inning.
OF Jorge Soler (hamstring) needs between 15-20 more minor league at-bats before he’s ready to play again at the big-league level. Bryant was the DH, but not because of any injuries during a head-first slide into second base a night earlier. “It’ll be nice to get off my feet a little bit”, he said. I’m with my girlfriend still, with the family, and I feel that I have absolutely changed as a person. LHP Carlos Rodon (sprained left wrist) threw a side session Wednesday that went well, Ventura said.
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“(Hammel) spins it really good”, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
