Losses and injuries have mounted for the Chicago White Sox in the first two weeks of the season.
“It’s going to be one of these things that happens,” manager Will Venable said. “We know every team deals with it, so we’ve got to push forward and figure out a way to pick up the slack.”
An infusion of energy from bench players embracing larger roles, plus a new crop of players promoted from Triple-A, helped Chicago snap an eight-game losing streak Friday. On Saturday afternoon, the White Sox hope more of the same can steer them to their first season series victory as they host the Boston Red Sox.
Chicago out-hit Boston 12-7 en route to an 11-1 victory in Friday’s series opener. Second baseman Chase Meidroth, acquired from the Red Sox organization in an offseason trade that sent ace Garrett Crochet to Boston, had a hit, three walks and scored twice in his major league debut.
“It’s awesome,” Meidroth said. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment.”
Strange as it might sound, the White Sox will try to avoid what happened on the heels of their most recent blowout victory at home.
Chicago, coming off a modern major-league record 121 losses last season, improved to 2-2 with a 9-0 shutout of Minnesota on March 31. Friday marked their first victory since that game.
Boston has lost four of five while scoring only nine runs on the heels of a five-game winning streak. The Red Sox scuffled against White Sox right-hander Davis Martin on Friday, managing one run in his six-plus innings.
The Red Sox committed five errors and struck out 11 times.
“A bad night overall,” manager Alex Cora said. “We didn’t hit, we didn’t play defense, and we didn’t pitch. So, turn the page, be ready for tomorrow. We’ve just got to be better. … We know what we have to do; we have to show up tomorrow and be better.”
Right-hander Richard Fitts (0-2, 4.50 ERA) hopes to get more run support Saturday. Fitts has delivered quality starts in each of his two outings this season, but the Red Sox have only four runs.
Fitts is coming off Monday’s home 6-2 loss to Toronto, when he scattered three runs and six hits in six innings with four walks and four strikeouts.
Cora said he thought Fitts, 25, “did a good job” as “he’s still learning.” Saturday will mark only his seventh career start.
Fitts faced the White Sox in his major league debut on Sept. 8 at Fenway Park, taking a no-decision. He scattered two unearned runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts.
Left-hander Martin Perez (1-0, 0.73 ERA) will look to maintain his early-season success for Chicago. Perez has allowed one earned run and struck out 13 in 12 1/3 innings covering two starts.
He took a no-decision on Sunday at Detroit, allowing one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings in his team’s 4-3 loss.
In 11 career appearances (10 starts) against the Red Sox, Perez is 5-3 with a 4.60 ERA.
–Field Level Media
