While the exciting plotline was Dylan Cease’s return to Sox Park for his first start as a member of the opposition, Davis Martin’s surprisingly efficient six innings was the story of Chicago’s 4-3 win.
Martin, who came into action averaging a languid 16 pitches per inning this season, tightened things up considerably by walking just one and buzzing through six innings with just 77 pitches under his belt.
That’s not to say Martin didn’t have to dodge traffic through the game, surrendering seven hits
as the Padres stayed scrapping throughout. But he avoided the long ball, so far allowing just one in September after serving up 19 in the first five months of the season.
The offense did its part, barely, with an excuse-me home run golfed out of the park in the first inning by Miguel Vargas:
Vargas, scuffling of late — actually, scuffling all year outside of May — stuck with a Cease slider to reach down and muscle it out. That swing, just four at-bats into the ballgame, ensured the White Sox would never trail. And it was a good thing, because the Good Guys managed just three more hits in the game.
That said, weirdness on the basepaths for the Good Guys made this game closer than it should have been, as they stumbled out of at least two additional runs in the game. In the first inning and right before Vargas’ round-tripper, Kyle Teel saw the play right in front of him on a Colson Montgomery single and decided to steal an extra base. No dice:
In the fourth, it was another ill-timed move on the bases, this time by Vargas. With runners on first and second and none out, he was nabbed at third base trying to advance on a juggled pitch. In a combination of HBPs and singles, two more runs scored that inning — but not giving away outs could have run Cease from the contest more quickly.
As for Dylan, it was not a friendly welcome home. Though just 78°, humidity was approximately 8000% and the Padres starter had sweated through his uniform before he got off of the bus to the ballpark. Vargas basically took the win from him 16 pitches in, and his distinctive slider did not pack its customary snap.
But speaking of snaps, a strong bullpen outing (after Martin was, rather oddly, pulled at just 77 tosses) ensured a six-game losing streak was snapped. Something about Friday nights in Chicago, the White Sox wound up their schedule going 8-4.
