Tuesday night in Chicago, Brent Morel did something he never does, Sergio Santos did what he always does, and the White Sox edged the Rangers 4-3.
Rangers Vs. White Sox: Morel’s First Clout Lifts South Siders
It took a fairly big comeback, too. With ex-Ranger John Danks on the hill for the White Sox, the Texans scored single runs in the first, second and fourth innings while Matt Harrison was blanking the Sox.
Until the bottom of the fifth, that is. Carlos Quentin drew a leadoff walk, but was forced at second by A.J. Pierzynski's fielder's-choice grounder. Alex Rios walked, too, but Gordon Beckham struck out.
Which brought up rookie third baseman Brent Morel. Last fall, Morel struggled in his September call-up but did hit three home runs and slug .415 in 21 games. This spring? Ensconced as Chicago's every-day third baseman since Opening Day, Morel entered Tuesday night's action without a home run, but with a .280 slugging percentage. It's probably not a real stretch to suggest that however impressive Morel's defense, he's not that far from losing his job. Or wasn't, before possible replacement Mark Teahen went on the DL.
If Teahen’s injury bought Morel some time, what happened in the fifth inning Tuesday night probably bought him a bit more. Morel took Harrison’s first pitch for a strike, took Harrison’s second pitch for a ball, and fouled Harrison’s third pitch into the crowd. Down 1-and-2, what were Morel’s chances of doing something heroic?
According to BNI (Baseball Nerds Inc.), exactly 3.78 percent. Give or take 0.24 percent.
But that didn’t account for Harrison throwing a fastball through the heart of the strike zone, or for Morel taking his best swing of the season and driving the baseball over the fence in left-center on a line.
Just like that, this athletic contest was tied in a most unlikely fashion.
And tied was where the contest stayed for the next hour or so. Jesse Crain took over for Danks in the top of the eighth, and escaped with no damage despite a leadoff single and an intentional walk.
Harrison was gone after seven innings, too, replaced by Cody Eppley in the bottom of the eighth. Gordon Beckham led off, and Eppley walked him. Morel batted next, and Eppley struck him out. With .563-slugging Brent Lillibridge due up, Ozzie Guillen went with the percentages and sent out pinch-hitter Dallas McPherson, who hadn't batted in the majors since 2008.
McPherson, with his biggest hit since (at least) 2008, rapped a single up the middle, Beckham scooting to third base. And Eppley’s very next pitch, low away and in the dirt, skipped to the backstop to the delight of Beckham, who sprinted home to put the White Sox ahead by one run.
That was all they would get, and all they would need. Because in the top of the ninth, Guillen summoned Sergio Santos from the bullpen. While it’s probably true that Sergio Santos will, at some point this season, give up a run, it’s definitely true that he didn’t give up a run in this game. Or anything else. Two ground balls and one strikeout after entering the game, Santos had his sixth save and yet another scoreless inning, making it 20 for the season.
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