CUETO WORKS HIS MAGIC AGAIN
Righty outduels Guardians’ Bieber, helps Sox snap three-game losing streak
CLEVELAND — Johnny Cueto has been an inspiration on a team that has inspired few this season.
On Saturday night, the 36-year-old righthander gave yet another invigorating performance, throwing 8‰ innings in a matchup with 2020 Cy Young winner Shane Bieber in the White Sox’ 2-0 victory.
The result pulled the Sox (62-59) to 2½ games of the American League Central-leading Guardians (64-56). The Sox also gained ground on the second-place Twins, who lost.
Cueto allowed five hits, walked one and struck out two. He threw 113 pitches, lowering his ERA to 2.58.
In a pitching battle that was worth the two-hour, 55-minute wait to start caused by rain, Bieber (9-6, 3.10 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) in 6„ innings.
Cueto made his 10th straight quality start, exiting with two outs in the ninth after he retired Andres Gimenez on an infield pop fly with Josh Naylor on first.
“He was clutch for us,” manager Tony La Russa said.
Liam Hendriks faced one batter, striking out rookie Oscar Gonzalez for his 19th consecutive save.
“He said he was good, so give him a chance,” La Russa said of Cueto starting the ninth. “It’s worth paying just to watch him. He’s so smart.”
But he wasn’t going to face Gonzalez, who had two line drives and a walk against him.
Cueto (6-5) allowed only two runners in scoring position, and Bieber wasn’t scored on until Jose Abreu cleared center fielder Myles Straw’s head with a double that scored Luis Robert (leadoff single) from first in the sixth.
Elvis Andrus got his first hit as a Sox player, a single, and scored his first run in the seventh. Andrus advanced to second on a throw home from Straw that resulted in Yasmani Grandal getting thrown out easily for the first out of the seventh and injured. Andrus stole third and scored on Josh Harrison’s short fly ball when right fielder Will Benson’s throw home skipped away.
It was a good bounce-back win for the Sox, who lost the first game of the series 5-2 on Friday. They broke a three-game losing streak.
“I just think if you’re not strong-minded and strong-hearted, then you’re in the wrong place,” La Russa said after that defeat. “So we get even [Saturday].”
Before the game, La Russa stuck to his guns about issuing intentional walks with 1-2 counts.
“We’ve been through this before: The most ridiculous thing in this season has been the 1-2 walk,” La Russa said. “I mean, that’s the most ridiculous. That’s what I say.”
The 1-2 walk La Russa was talking about after the Sox’ loss to the Guardians on Friday was the one he called for Trea Turner at Guaranteed Rate Field in June that preceded Max Muncy’s home run in a Dodgers victory that generated another wave of attention over La Russa’s managing this season.
La Russa vehemently defended that decision, which was questioned in baseball circles everywhere.
It only came up again Friday because La Russa ordered an intentional walk of Gonzalez with runners on second and third and lefty Jake Diekman pitching, even though Diekman had the considerable pitcher’s advantage with a 1-2 count. As it turned out,
Owen Miller flied out softly to right fielder Andrew Vaughn against right-hander Jimmy Lambert, so the decision didn’t factor in the loss.
“So it’s, put him on. So it worked, right?” La Russa said.
The Guardians already had scored four runs in the inning.
“Did we get the guy out? Yeah, so it worked,” La Russa said.