It was the Luis Robert show at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday afternoon.
Robert was having a rough day at the plate when the sixth inning rolled around. His previous two at-bats included a strikeout and lining into an inning-ending double play. But with the White Sox deadlocked in a 1-1 tie with the Mariners, Robert quickly turned the home opener around.
The White Sox were struggling to hit Mariners rookie Matt Brash all afternoon long. But the third time through the order proved to be the charm as Robert made an adjustment at the plate. With two strikes he sat on a hanging curveball and launched it 408 feet to center field for a solo home run. The ball left his bat at 110 mph which was more than enough to cut through the windy Chicago air.
His solo home run would provide the White Sox with their first lead at home in 2022. Robert wasn't done, however. In the eighth inning, he drew a leadoff walk. He quickly stole second base to avoid a double-play situation. Robert then got a great jump and stole third base. His multiple stolen bases in the inning gave the White Sox a much-needed insurance run without recording a hit in the inning. Robert didn't just get it done on the offensive side, his defense was also superb. He flashed his Gold Glove ability in the third inning when he tracked down a ball hit into the gap. He then fired it back into the infield preventing any runners from advancing.
It was a true all-around effort that showcased why many have him pegged as a potential MVP candidate in 2022.
Velasquez Makes Good First Impression
Most fans had low expectations for Vince Velasquez in 2022. His free agency signing did not garner much fanfare and was met with skepticism. There is a good reason for this. Velasquez was coming off an awful 2021 season that saw him throw a combined 6.30 ERA with the Phillies and Padres. He will likely serve as a long reliever and a spot starter. But with the White Sox starting rotation running thin due to injuries, Velasquez could play an important role in the first few months of the season. His debut with the White Sox could not have gone much better. He tossed four innings of one-run ball and only allowed two hits. That run came curtsey of an Engenio Suarez home run. Velasquez had to work around three walks but he made up for it with two strikeouts. Overall he did everything Tony La Russa asked of him and put the White Sox in a position to win.Bullpen Slams The Door
The White Sox bullpen threw a combined four scoreless innings before handing the baton off to Liam Hendriks in the ninth. Bennett Sousa was the first one out of the pen in the fifth inning. The rookie continued his scoreless streak by sandwiching a hit between two outs. A wild pitch that allowed Ty France to advance to second base put some added pressure on him. After walking Jesse Winker, La Russa turned to Reynaldo Lopez to finish the frame. Mitch Haniger watched as Lopez painted the bottom corner of the strike zone with a fastball to escape the jam. Lopez continued to mow through the Mariner's order with a 1-2-3 sixth inning punctuated by a Jarred Kelenic strikeout. He recorded his fifth consecutive out in the seventh inning on a ball that was sent to the warning track. Eloy Jimenez managed to track it down but La Russa had seen enough after that. Aaron Bummer was called upon to finish the inning.Bummer got into trouble with two walks but weaseled his way out of the situation with a pair of strikeouts. Kendall Graveman took the ball in the fifth and threw another scoreless inning. He did allow a double to Abraham Toro but finished the inning with a flair. He danced off the mound after striking out Jarred Kelenic to end the inning. Hendriks had the only blemish for the White Sox bullpen. He gave up a run but still managed to lock down the save. It wrapped up a great effort from the White Sox pitching staff.
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