Sox lose in 10 after duel
First-year White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz was looking forward to a matchup of aces — one a Cy Young winner (Indians righthander Shane Bieber) and the other a top Cy Young candidate (Sox righty Lucas Giolito )—on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“It will bring the best out of both of them,” Katz said.
Katz was spot on. Giolito pitched seven-plus innings of three-hit, scoreless ball, striking out eight and walking two, but Bieber was even better, pitching nine scoreless innings before the Indians pushed two runs across in the 10th for a 2-0 victory.
“It’s disappointing, but it’s not difficult to admire talent like that,” said Sox manager Tony La Russa, whose team fell to 5-6.
Bieber allowed three hits and struck out 11, and in the 10th, Robert Perez’s infield single and pinch hitter Amed Rosario’s double against left-hander Garrett Crochet produced two runs after an interference call on catcher Yasmani Grandal put Josh Naylor on first and the free runner (Franmil Reyes) on third with no outs.
Indians right-hander James Karinchak struck out Nick Williams and retired Grandal on a groundout and Jake Lamb on a fly ball to the warning track to even the four-game series at 1-1.
“Bieber won the Cy Young last year, so I knew I had to bring my best stuff and put up as many zeros as I can,” Giolito said. “Makes it exciting.”
The Sox’ 5-6 start is “not discouraging at all,” Giolito said. “There’s a lot of season left. We’ve got to get some guys healthy. I can’t discredit our offense or our defense.”
Vaughn sits
Andrew Vaughn, who has started five of the Sox’ first 11 games and only once against a right-hander, was on the bench, but La Russa said the rookie will be in the lineup for the last two games of the Indians series and “play a lot” on the upcoming trip to Boston and Cleveland.
Kopech a non-starter
Michael Kopech has recovered well from his multi-inning relief stints and would have been an option to start Monday, when Carlos Rodon was scratched from his start, if he hadn’t pitched the day before, Katz said.
With five starters “we’re really happy with and with Kopech on an innings limit for 2021, there’s no need to rush him into a starter’s role,” Katz said. “Too much, too soon would be a mistake.
“The plan is not to overdo with him so we have him much stronger at the end of the season.”
Kopech struck out 11 of the first 22 batters he faced over 6⅓ scoreless innings of one-hit ball.
Chang receives racist tweets
Indians first baseman Yu Chang shared anti-Asian postings he received on Twitter after making an error that allowed the Sox’ winning run to score in their 4-3 victory Monday.
He posted a tweet that referred to the shape of his eyes and another to the coronavirus. Chang, who is Taiwanese, asked for tolerance.
“Exercise your freedom of speech in a right way; I accept all comments, positive or negative, but DEFINITELY NOT RACIST ONES,” Chang wrote. “Thank you all and love you all.”
He included the hashtag Stop Asian Hate.
Anderson looks ready
Tim Anderson (strained hamstring) ran full speed during drills and is on target to return from the injured list Thursday, the first day he is eligible.