The Pirates knocked the White Sox down a peg, as Chicago’s division lead is down to 1 1/2 after a brutal, 2-0 loss
and series sweep in Chicago. With only two hits in nine innings and five runs in total this series and never once leading a game, it’s time to shave the September ’staches, because they clearly aren’t working.Hagen Smith’s start was great, allowing only a single and striking out two over two-plus innings. The White Sox answered by going down in order in the first and ending on a bad
ABS challenge by Munetaka Murakami on a strike call. Smith kept runners off base again in the second, with help from a diving catch from Braden Montgomery.
After a single from Spencer Horwitz in the third, Erick Fedde replaced Smith and coaxed a double play to end the frame. Chase Meidroth started the bottom half with a leadoff walk. Despite having a baserunner, the White Sox remained hitless, leaving the score knotted at zero.
Oneil Cruz quickly broke up the tie with a lead-off solo home run deep to right field, in what would stand up as the game-winning hit in this low-scoring affair.
Fedde faced big trouble in the top of the fifth, including with a single, a botched attempt at a double play, a walk and a couple of stolen bases. But he prevailed, escaping the frame without any damage.
With two outs in the seventh, Colson Montgomery became the hero we needed, and Fedde deserved, by breaking up the no-hitter with a double. No scoring, of course, but at least we could all go into the eighth without a looming no-no over our heads.
With a runner on in the eighth, Will Venable collected Fedde so he wouldn’t have to face Cruz again. The plan didn’t work out so well, as Cruz singled and sent a run home, making it 2-0. The damage was limited thanks to a nifty double play, but with Chicago’s frozen bats, two runs felt like an insurmountable deficit.
Jordan Hicks kept the Pirates at bay with a dominant ninth, setting the stage for some South Side heroics. But aside from Randal Grichuk singling to lead off the ninth, there were none to be found. Miguel Vargas and Murakami grounded out to Brandon Lowe. With Grichuk advanced to third but two runs needed to extend the game, for whatever reason Edgar Quero was called on to pinch-hit, and he struck out to end the game.
MVP
Erick Fedde: 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 K, 16% WPA
Runners-Up
Hagen Smith: 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Colson Montgomery: Double to break up the no-hitter
Jordan Hicks: 1 IP, 2 K
Cold Cat
The entire “offense”: 2 HITS, THAT’S IT! 11 K, 2 BB, 0 R
Runners-Up
These mustaches. It’s time for them to go. Jake Rogers, you’re grandfathered in, but everyone else gets the shaving cream.
Will Venable: Gave Edgar Quero an at-bat with two outs in the ninth after napping through an entire series where his team didn’t hold a single lead
