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If this were the regular season, back-to-back one-run losses might sting a little more. Thankfully, it’s not — and Chicago’s 4-3 loss to the San Diego Padres doesn’t carry much weight beyond the box score.
Since it is Spring Training, let’s focus on the positives for now. The South Siders outhit the Padres, 9-8, struck out fewer times (five to seven), and collected five extra-base hits: three doubles, a triple, and a homer. The bullpen was also fairly solid despite blowing the save, allowing just three hits in the final five innings while recording six strikeouts.
Sean Newcomb was slightly better in his second start, and the lefty maneuvered through some tough situations with runners in scoring position to remain scoreless through two, seemingly handling the adversity better than his last time out. Unfortunately, the Padres got to him in the third, and Newcomb gave up two runs on five hits; the two earned runs came on a two-run blast from Nick Castellanos, putting the Dads up 2-1. Castellanos definitely had Newcomb’s number on Tuesday as he opened the top of the first with a double to center, but the Padres couldn’t bring him around to score. He later added his homer for good measure.
Offensively, Miguel Vargas and Derek Hill accounted for three of the five extra-base hits, as well as two of the three RBIs that the Sox tallied Tuesday. The first run driven in came from Austin Hays, who pushed a base hit up the middle as the last of a three-hit rally to score Vargas and give Chicago an early 1-0 lead. After the Castellanos bomb, Vargas followed that up the very next inning with a 406-foot, solo shot to left center to tie it back up at two.
Lefthander Chris Murphy took over for Newcomb in the fourth, and he cruised through three innings, giving up just one hit, walking one batter, and striking out four. As the bullpen kept control of the game, the Good Guys grabbed the lead back in the sixth. LaMonte Wade Jr. smacked a two-bagger, and one out later, Derek Hill ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score Wade and put the White Sox back on top, 3-2.
You guessed it, though, that lead lasted not even half an inning. Earlier, we were focusing on the positives, but numerous areas within the pitching staff need improvement, especially regarding consistency with command in the zone and walking batters. Wikelman González was next up out of the pen, but he blundered through the fourth. He struck out the first batter he faced, and everything snowballed from there. Prior to being yanked out of the game, he loaded the bases and walked in the tying run, 3-3. González was called to the dugout after the third walk and left the game with lower back tightness, which could have contributed to his lack of control.
Once it was all tied up, the White Sox offense died down for the last few innings. Darren Baker attempted to get a two-out rally going after doubling to put runners on second and third, but Jeral Perez couldn’t get it done, and the two-bagger from Baker was the last hit of the game for the Good Guys.
Out for the eighth was Alexander Alberto, and he, too, recorded the first out but then proceeded to give up the lead after a walk and double combo attack from the Padres to officially put them up, 4-3. Righthander Tyler Davis tossed for his second appearance this spring and made it interesting by walking the first two batters. Still, he was able to get out of it and redeem himself from his previous outing, where he allowed three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The White Sox have an off day on Wednesday, but will be back at Camelback Ranch on Thursday for a nightcap at 7:05 p.m. CT against the Guardians. Broadcast availability is still TBD, so stay tuned for an update on how to watch, but in the meantime, there’s plenty of World Baseball Classic fun taking place this week!