NBC Sports Chicago is simulating the 2020 White Sox season via MLB The Show during the postponement of play. The White Sox, stocked with young talent and veteran offseason acquisitions, were expected to take a big step forward in their rebuild this season. Follow along as we play out the first few months of the season.
Result: White Sox def. Royals 10-6
Record: 30-31, 3rd in AL Central (2.5 GB of Twins)
W: Dane Dunning (1-0)
L: Eric Skoglund (3-6)
Game summary: The White Sox' start to a week facing the two bottom-feeders in the AL Central got off to a promising start, though it didn’t appear to be the case early in the opener vs the Royals.
Lucas Giolito was in a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first and was on the verge of escaping it unharmed. But with two outs, Nick Madrigal made an errant throw to first base that allowed two runs to score. Then, Maikel Franco slapped a two-run single to center and just like that, the Sox were down 4-0.
The South Siders delivered a steady supply of offense the entire night, however. Nomar Mazara immediately halved the deficit with a two-run double in the top of the second. Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal each recorded two-run singles in the fifth to put the Sox ahead 7-4. Jose Abreu and Edwin Encarnacion provided insurance by each hitting their 18th home run of the season.
MLB
White Sox lineup:
Edwin Encarnacion: 2-3, HR (18), 2 RBI, R (.328 BA)
Eloy Jimenez: 0-6 (.269 BA)
Yoan Moncada: 0-3, 2 BB, R (.257 BA)
Nick Madrigal: 1-4, 2B, BB, 2 R (.256 BA)
Jose Abreu: 3-4, HR (18), 2 RBI, 3 R (.313 BA)
Tim Anderson: 1-5, 2 RBI, R (.294 BA)
Luis Robert: 2-5 (.239 BA)
Yasmani Grandal: 3-5, 2 RBI, R (.325 BA)
Nomar Mazara: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R (.251 BA)
Scoring summary:
Bottom first
Ryan O’Hearn reached on error by second baseman, Adalberto Mondesi and Hunter Dozier scored. 2-0 KC.
Maikel Franco singled to center, Jorge Soler and O’Hearn scored. 4-0 KC.
Top second
Nomar Mazara doubled to right field, Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal scored. 4-2 KC.
Top fourth
Edwin Encarnacion singled to center field, Mazara scored. 4-3 KC.
Top fifth
Tim Anderson singled to center field, Yoan Moncada and Madrigal scored. 5-4 CHW.
Grandal singled to right field, Abreu and Tim Anderson scored. 7-4 CHW.
Bottom fifth
O’Hearn homered to center field, Salvador Perez scored. 7-6 CHW.
Top sixth
Abreu homered to left field, Madrigal scored. 9-6 CHW.
Top seventh
Encarnacion homered to center field. 10-6 CHW.
Notable performance: Don’t even bother trying to get Grandal out right now, because it just isn’t happening. After Tuesday’s three-hit performance, Grandal is 9-for-12 in his last three games with two home runs and seven RBIs. He’s batting .325 (9th in AL), has 54 RBIs (second) and a 4.9 WAR (first.).
Next game: Wednesday, June 3 - Game 62: White Sox at Royals (Dallas Keuchel, 2-5, 7.18 ERA vs Jakob Junis, 0-5, 5.93 ERA)
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