Road Trip Roundup: White Sox Seek Home Comforts After Turbulent Trek Through Seattle, Arizona

Following a challenging road trip against the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, the Chicago White Sox return home to start a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday. The Pale Hose managed to secure two wins on the West Coast swing. While poor relief pitching cost them the series in Seattle and faulty starting pitching led to two blowouts in Arizona, the club hopes to bounce back at home.

Relief-less in Seattle

If I told you that the White Sox lost last Monday's series opener to Seattle by a score of 8-4, you might not guess that Erick Fedde pitched seven innings of one-run ball. Then again, if you're one of the few people who still watch the 2024 White Sox, you're unsurprised they lost a game in which they led 4-0 in the eighth.

Luis Robert Jr. got the White Sox on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth. Lenyn Sosa drove in a run in the seventh, and Corey Julks blasted a solo homer in the eighth.

The Mariners scored three times against reliever Michael Kopech, who recorded just two outs. Pedro Grifol's decision to employ Kopech for a two-inning save, a risky strategy, backfired. Jordan Leasure relieved him to get the final out of the eighth before his ninth inning went off the rails. Cal Raleigh belted a walk-off grand slam after two walks and a single.

Good Rookies

Rookie Drew Thorpe looked strong in his Major League debut in Seattle last Tuesday. He tossed five innings of one-run baseball, allowing three hits while fanning four.

However, once again, the game unraveled in the South Siders' bullpen while clinging to a one-run lead. A two-run single by All-Star hopeful Martin Maldonado and back-to-back solo homers in the third by Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong gave the White Sox a one-run lead.

Raleigh struck again in this game, doubling in Julio Rodriguez to cut the Mariners' deficit to one. In the seventh, his two-run double off John Brebbia put the Mariners ahead by one.

Rookie Jonathan Cannon made his most impressive showing of the season on Wednesday. Cannon pitched seven innings of one-run baseball, allowing four hits, striking out seven, and walking one. Luke Raley homered off the rookie in the seventh to open the game's scoring. However, Luis Robert Jr. came through with a lead-off pinch-hit homer in the ninth to tie the game.

The contest went to extra innings, where Seattle's pinch-hitter Mitch Haniger got the last laugh. Haniger's single to right scored ghost runner Luke Raley, locking in a series win and walking off the White Sox for the second time in three games.

Stem the Tide

The White Sox needed their ace, Garrett Crochet, to stop the bleeding, and he did all he could in Thursday's effort. Chicago managed to pull off a victory in the 10th in the series finale, winning 3-2. White Sox pitching racked up 19 strikeouts, including 13 by Crochet, a career-high for the big lefty.

Vaughn and Robert Jr. continued their recent power surge, hitting back-to-back homers in the third inning and taking a 2-0 lead.

The only blemish on the day for Chicago's ace was a solo homer by Tyler Locklear in the fifth. Crochet issued two walks and surrendered two hits. Brebbia bounced back with a flawless eighth inning and two punchouts. But in true White Sox fashion, Kopech coughed up the lead in the ninth on a solo homer to Julio Rodriguez.

In the 10th, a base hit to left by Nicky Lopez advanced ghost runner Korey Lee to third with one out. A chopper to third by Vaughn allowed Lee to score the winning run. Tanner Banks worked a perfect ninth inning to earn the save.

Desert Blowouts

Chris Flexen toed the rubber in Friday's series opener and entered the game with an ERA of 3.00 in his last three starts. However, things went off the rails quickly for the veteran in the desert, leading to a 7-1 loss. The White Sox took an early 1-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Nicky Lopez.

The Diamondbacks responded in the second when Tucker Barnhart singled home two runs with the bases loaded.

Arizona added to their lead with a two-out RBI single by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The hits kept coming off Flexen in the fourth when Eugenio Suarez belted a leadoff solo homer. Corbin Caroll's infield single plated the Diamondbacks' fifth run, and Flexen walked Ketel Marte in the next at-bat, ending his evening.

Michael Soroka picked up the rest of the tab on Flexen's rough start. He tossed 3.2 of relief, allowing a solo homer to Joc Pederson in the seventh. He struck out four and walked one. Jared Shuster pitched a perfect eighth inning.

Brute Force

The South Siders returned the favor in the second game, shellacking the Diamondbacks 9-2. Chicago blasted four homers in the contest, helping Erick Fedde earn the win. Fedde battled through the start, allowing eight hits, but pitched out of multiple jams.

His high-wire act included escaping a one-out bases-loaded jam in the third, a leadoff double in the fourth, and limited the damage in the fifth after a first-and-third, no-out situation.

DeJong's solo homer gave the White Sox a 2-1 advantage.

Andrew Vaughn's two-run homer expanded the lead to 4-1.

The first baseman drove in three runs. Lenyn Sosa broke the game open with a three-run homer in the seventh, giving the White Sox a five-run lead.

Korey Lee piled on with a two-run blast in the ninth.

John Brebbia, Steven Wilson, and Tanner Banks shut out Arizona over the final three innings.

Not Fooled

Chicago out-hit the Diamondbacks 11-9 in a seven-run defeat in Sunday's series finale. Drew Thorpe made his second start and followed his promising debut with a dud.

Arizona scored early and often off the rookie, plating three runs in the first on Pederson's double and Christian Walker's solo homer. Thorpe exited with one out and the bases loaded in the fourth with the score 5-1. Recently called-up righty Chad Kuhl didn't fare any better, allowing five more runs to score in the inning.

The White Sox scored three runs in the ninth while trailing by 10. Andrew Vaughn had a two-RBI single and scored on Oscar Colas's single after advancing to second on a fielder's interference.

News and Notes

The White Sox made a bevy of roster moves over the last week. Eloy Jimenez began his rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League . He's recovering from a strained hamstring.

The White Sox demoted Sammy Peralta to Triple-A to make room for Thorpe and placed Dominic Leone on the 60-day IL.

Tommy Pham and Andrew Benintendi returned from their respective injuries. As a result, Zach DeLoach and Duke Ellis returned to the minor leagues.

The White Sox designated Ellis for assignment and purchased the contract for catcher Chuckie Robinson, who remains with Triple-A Charlotte. Robinson could've opted out if not added to the Sox' 40-man roster by June 17.

Chicago designated offseason free-agent acquisition Tim Hill for assignment and returned Steven Wilson from the injured list.

Catcher Max Stassi will miss the rest of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery.

What's On Tap Next?

The White Sox return to Guaranteed Rate Field to host the Houston Astros for a three-game series. Jonathan Cannon gets the ball in Tuesday's series opener, while Houston's starter is undecided. The Astros will be without former White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu , whom they released over the weekend. First pitch is at 7:10 PM CT and the game will air on NBC Sports Chicago.

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