Sale and Kluber Throw Great Games in White Sox 10-Inning Win
An expected pitchers’ duel is not something that materializes all that often. However, on Monday in Chicago one materialized and lived up to what a marquee matchup should be.
The Chicago White Sox hosted the Cleveland Indians and the White Sox Chris Sale pitched against the Indians’ Corey Kluber.
In the end, the Indians lost to the White Sox in ten innings 2-1. Fate was against Kluber the Cy Young Award winner who was making his pitches dance the entire game and leaving the Chicago lineup unable to put any rally together. Sale came to play as well, though his game was more of keeping the opposing hitters of balance.
Sale allowed a single run and four hits in his eight innings pitched. He had 7 strikeouts and two walks.
The first five White Sox batters were fanned by Kluber. It looked like the pitcher would have a chance at the strikeout record for a single game and the White Sox would have problems plating even one run.
Kluber fanned 18 last week when he faced the St. Louis Cardinals and he looked primed to do the same or better on Monday.
However, Sale did everything he needed to keep the score even allowing only a sacrifice fly in the eighth to plate a run for Chicago.
It was a gamble in the sixth inning by Adam Eaton that gave the White Sox their chance to win the game in 10 innings.
He hit a one out triple down the line in right field against Kluber. However, next up Melky Cabrera fanned and the window for the White Sox looked like it was closing quickly.
However, Eaton took the game into his own hands by breaking for the plate when a pitch by Kluber bounced at least 12 feet in front of home plate. Roberto Perez the Indians pitcher was able to grab the ball and lunge to tag Eaton, but he lost the ball when his glove hit Eaton’s shoulder.
It was a sad fate for Kluber to give up a run like that, as he pitched 9 innings allowing only five hits with 12 strikeouts. If the run does not score, the Indians win 1-0 on their 8th inning sac fly.
Sale called Kluber baseball’s best pitcher at the moment describing Kluber’s stuff as the nastiest he has ever seen.
Kluber has 30 strikeouts over his past two games which is the second most in franchise history for the Indians.
The White Sox are now over .500 for the first time this season but still sit in fourth place 4.5 games out, while the Indians are 9 games under .500 and 9.5 games out already in the AL Central.
